The Host Club's Misery Business
by ayodaylei
Summary: Rikku's just an ordinary scholarship student, yeah that doesn't last long when the Host Club gets a hold of her. Now the aspiring artist has to survive the "Misery Business". *review please*
1. Apparently that's my Job

Chapter 1: Apparently that's my Job

It's been about a week since I transferred to Ouran, but it doesn't take long to rack up ten million yen debt. Any other club I wouldn't have a problem with, but the Host Club is not just any club. These jack-asses didn't even know I was a girl until the end of the day as their "dog", well except for one who used basic biology, Adams apple vs. none. But overall he's still an idiot. I was just on my way to the club room when the club's other victim… I mean… yeah pretty much a victim, passes be by in a hurry, "Oh, sorry Riku, I was just studying in the library and completely forgot about the club", Haruhi gave a winded explanation. "Not going to be the last time, why don't we just go together", I already knew Haruhi's "secret", again biology, apparently she had two million less than me so I was going to have to work harder at this than she was.

But when we opened the doors, they were all shirtless in some kind of tropic. Haruhi pulled out some pocket calendar to check if it was still early spring while I went over to Kyoya to see what was going on, knowing he's the one running the show, "I have no power when it comes to deciding themes, but I can admit to slipping a Bali photo book on Tamaki's desk", he's just full of crap today. The costumers were getting worked up about an event the Host club is… hosting, I could barely hear the details moving around so much doing the "chores" they have me doing.

The club closed for the day and everyone was still talking about the dance and Haruhi doing something, "Either you and Riku must learn formal dancing by the end of the week or you will be knocked back down to errand boy", Tamaki declared overdramatically, "Also if you fail Riku your debt will be doubled", Kyoya added. "I figured at least one person shouldn't be dancing to actually run the party", I reasoned weakly trying to avoid dancing; Kyoya thought it over and agreed only that I had to make the party go off without a bag. Easy enough.

The next day the club was closed to let Haruhi learn dancing with Miss. Kasugazaki, I was busy booking the salon and Tamaki was being Tamaki. I don't know why these guys insist on me doing everything, I signed for the new tea sets and noticed Miss. Kasugazaki getting nervous around the delivery guy, who happened to be a student leaving to study abroad. Later Kyoya told me that he was her fiancé, not that don't I care about her pre-marital problems , which I don't, but I had a party to plan and a suit to get.

After I finished cleaning I walked home with Haruhi since we both live in the same complex, too bad I'm the one who ends up taking my "work" home with me. I come home to an empty apartment as usual because my brother works late, so I end up doing the shopping, cooking, and just about anything you can think of. On top of that I had the music selection to put together and I still needed a suit, not that I could actually buy one with my brother around, he might not do much around the house but he's not a dumb-ass. I might have to barrow one for that night but I'm not sure anyone's my size. But that's the least of my concern.

* * *

><p>After the weekend the club ran as normal but I could tell they were hiding something, if they plan on sabotaging me, I swear to God, I will kick their oriental-asses. One way to tell their hiding something is they try to be even more annoying, calling me over to clean up after their guests, Kyoya telling me to go over the numbers for the party <em><span>again<span>_, and just making a mess so I can clean it up. I can't wait for this dance to be over already so I can go back to my less than hellish reality.

I ended up borrowing a suit from the twins, tacky as hell but it's better than nothing. Everyone in the club (including me) was arraigned on the steps in order of age; I was left of Haruhi because I'm fourteen (I skipped a grade). Tamaki introduced a dance competition where the winner would get a kiss on the cheek from him and with that announcement I saw some girls faint, I'd have to call the nurse later. Haruhi said something about sushi and instantly had the whole club fawning over her, something's I'll never understand. The party officially started and all the Host's had a dance partner with several waiting in line, I was the one actually… hosting the party and asked if everyone was having a good time, I stopped to survey the buffet and noticed the fancy tuna was gone as well as all hosts.

The guests were starting to complain and threatening to leave, I didn't care what they were doing at this point, their asses were mine. I looked almost everywhere in the salon and the kitchen but I couldn't find them, I finally check in the hallways outside the salon and there they were. "What do think you're doing, the guests are starting to-", I paused in shock to see Haruhi in a dress, wig, and full make-up, "I don't even want to know, just get your asses back to the party", with that the rest of the hosts went back into the salon to conclude the party.

I thought I had nothing to worry about since all the host's come back but just as soon as they did Tamaki disappeared. None of the host's would tell me where he went, like right now is the _best_ time to play games, the guests are complaining, I'm about to be their _slave _ until I graduate, and the party's going to be an epic fail. Yah, great timing guys. I was about to flip my lid-scratch that- my lid was flipped a long time ago, now I'm straight-up pissed, but by that time Haruhi was back in her suite and Tamaki had returned out on the balcony. I joined them as they were about to announce the last waltz and the winner of the competition.

I was too exhausted to even pay attention to the last waltz, as long as I'm indebted to them, these guys were going to give me hell I was curtain. Even if I was tired I woke up when they announced the winner of the kiss, by Haruhi! I wonder whose plan that was. An already pissed-off Tamaki plus the knowledge that this is her first kiss equals running after her, only to push her into the other girl's lips instead. Well I guess that's "their job", thank God I'm not a host.


	2. What the Physical Exams!

Chapter 2: What the- Physical Exams!

Today the host club's having a flower viewing reception, but apparently me and Haruhi have to wear kimono's to "keep our secret". Most of the hosts are "working on location", Tamaki's charming as ever, the twins are being gay, and Kyoya's trying to make money; a typical day at the host club. But what I don't understand is why _I_ need to be here. most of them care more about Haruhi than me, and no one cares if she's lazy and slacks off. I might as well be here for decoration. So me, Haruhi, and "Mori", are sitting here watching Mitsukuni destroy tea leaves, I mean this guy's moving like a food processor. Mori finally tells him he over did it, why everyone looks so shocked I don't know, Honey looks like waterworks are going to start any second so the girls with us start giving weak complements that seemed to work.

"Part of your job is serving drinks you know." Kyoya shoots me this annoyed look. Translation, "Get up and serve the drinks lazy ass". I take the hint.

What pisses me off is that half the girls weren't even thirsty, so I take that as my queue to take a break. Haruhi was seemingly as tired as I was, she shouldn't be since she doesn't do shit, but she stands beside me any way. She has boyishly-cut brown hair that makes her seem like a boy, I have long, flowing black hair that I tie in a low-ponytail, but apparently to our _retarded _customers that doesn't scream "girl". I should have known the peace and quiet wouldn't last. Hikaru and Kouru snuck up from behind and had both of us in a one-arm hug. "So Haruhi, Rikku, what elective courses are you taking this year?" asks Hikaru. "I think all of us should take Conversational French, it makes sense-_We are in the same class_." that last part was directed at Tamaki who then went into his universal "emo corner" by a tree. He said something to Kyoya which caused him to pull this pie graph out of nowhere, and somehow Tamaki was struck by lightning, on a sunny day.

"That's it!" he says. Here come the real waterworks, "All Daddy wants is for you two to go back to the way you used to be, surround yourselves with girlfriends, and start leading wholesome lives"

"Who are you calling Daddy?" asks Haruhi.

"Just what is a _wholesome_ life?" I question.

By then he had Haruhi by the shoulders viciously shaking her. I had to pry him off of her, pretty easy considering I had him in a wrist-lock begging for mercy. The twins came in bouncing up and down saying physical exams were two days from now.

"Then they're going to find out… we're really girls." says Haruhi.

"So you wait 'till _**now **_say something about it?" I ask, annoyed.

Now the entire club's shooting daggers at us.

* * *

><p>The next day after my last class I take the long way to the club room, past the library. In all honesty I never did expect Haruhi to make it on time, today my hypothesis was correct. Even if she pisses me off, we're in the same boat so we might as well be friends. I mean she may be a lazy-ass, slacks off, a smart-ass, and say stupid stuff that makes the whole club fawn over her… wait where was I going with this? Never mind that, I'll still try to be her friend. We get to the club room and Haruhi opens the door, almost immediately Tamaki had her by the shoulders talking so much he was out of breath in seconds<p>

"Should I keep a crow bar handy when you to are together?" I ask sarcastically.

Before I could get a reaction they were all at a white board with the title, "Operation: Hide Haruhi and Riku's true Gender a.k.a I swear there both guys". Haruhi, thinking this is about her debt, calculates her balance and shrugs it off, I on the other hand, know if I'm kicked out of this club I'm dead. But there's nothing I can do about it. The rest of the club members are in a huddle half-whispering about something when Mori says "Fancy Tuna" and Haruhi freezes, she then goes on to make a weak argument about how, whatever they were talking about, wasn't true. She eventually gave in, Tamaki and the twins smiled in victory. I guess I had no choice. The day of the physical's Haruhi and the twins walk in front of me while I trail closely behind. When they open the doors, rows and rows of doctors and nurses line a mile long red carpet saying, "Welcome students", What. The. Hell. At my old school a physical exam was a class going to the nurse's office to get on a scale, end of story. Here they do height, weight, an exam you'd get at a fucking _doctors office_, and oh yeah, chest measurements.

"Mr. Fujioka, Mr. Suzuki, we'll be your nurses for the physical exam, please follow us." says a nurse.

With that they both grabbed our wrists and lead us to the back, a strange doctor wearing a brown sweater bumped into me and apologized. He seemed weird to me but I didn't think much of it, until we saw Mori and Honey in doctor "disguises", what kind of idiot thought that would work. Kyoya walked up beside us explaining his intentions, oh yah, _that _kind. While everyone was distracted by the shirtless twins being gay _(is there something in the water) _Honey and Mori push us into an empty changing room, Tamaki catches Haruhi as I fall to the floor. "Hey, can I get some equality here?" I ask. I'm ignored while Tamaki whispers something that I can't hear. The nurse calls me and Haruhi for our chest measurements but Tamaki tells us to stay here. His "plan" was such an epic fail I can't get through the details without cracking up. So here we are, our secrets about to be exposed, and Tamaki goes off and dose something stupid. On the verge of taking my binder off and jingle all the way Kyoya comes in to get us. He says he had a private room set up with a doctor sworn to secrecy, later I learn that all the doctor's here work at an Ootori hospital. That _son-of-a-bitch_. We arrive at the _Special Boys_ clinic where a female doctor tells us to take our clothes off in the changing room, there was only one so I assumed she wanted us to do it at the same time. Haruhi undressed to her camisole and I undressed to my binder when that "doctor" from earlier came barging into the changing room. Haruhi tried to say something to him, but he covered both of our mouths backing us to a wall telling us to keep quiet. Just as I was about to go off on him Tamaki flies in and kicks him in the face sending him flying into the wall.

Then everyone just shows up out of nowhere spouting there mantra in a "I'll kick your ass" tone. Tamaki puts is shirt around Haruhi and Mori gives me his blazer, Haruhi just looks at them,

"So exactly how long _were _you standing there?" I ask. I'm ignored as we all come out of the changing room. This Yabu guy, for some reason, thinks we care about his life story, so I tune out the boring parts- scratch that- _every_ part until Tamaki says he's going to give him a map of all the public schools so he can find his daughter. Oh… I guess I was listening. We all stand looking out the window, me cold as hell under this blazer, watching Yabu go off to find his daughter.

"Hey I don't mean to be rude, but would you guys please leave." all of them look at her, shocked, thinking he's going to quit the Host Club.

"Don't be silly, we just have to finish our exams, as male students. And don't think I'm doing this because your bribing me with food", she flashes the club a genuine smile, "I'm doing this to pay back my debt." Tamaki smiled back and attack-hugged her until he ended up touching somewhere he shouldn't. I lose my cool,

"Just get the hell out of here!" I shout.


	3. We have a Mangier?

Even if I can't find any sound reason for a Host Club, I still get some great material, from perfecting the uniform to kimonos. I can do a rough sketch in under two minutes, no problem, but most times I can't get them to sit still for even a second. At least today they're in designer kimonos so they can't move around as much. Kyoya said my drawings were going to be featured in the picture books and "promotional items", but the photo books haven't even come out yet... how long does it take to snap a picture? I finish with Tamaki and go over to the twins, you know on second thought, I try to find a pose for Haruhi. If I draw it exactly how she looks they might as well kiss her "secret" goodbye, I mean really? A lavender kimono with pink flowers and a ribbon? Some customer is bound to notice.

"Oh Haruhi, you look so cute in your kimono! Almost like a girl"

Note to self: there is **definitely** something in the water. I might not be able to work around it but at least she's not crying because can't draw tears, but how are the other hosts crying in the first place? I might as well be something stupid, like eye drops, and the three of them practically define stupidity. Honey came up to us…crying, about how he "lost" one of his sandals.

Haruhi put her hand on his shoulder in sympathy, "But didn't you have it a minute ago?"

I figured he would have noticed a bare foot on cold marble floors, "How do you lose a sandal?"

Just then Mori lifted Honey's foot and put his sandal on, Honey started crying and hugged him. At this point I know it's unnatural, Haruhi bumps into Kaouru and an eyedropper falls out of his sleeve, didn't see that coming. Well it's their fault I couldn't get the eyes right. But my train of thought stops when I notice a girl with dirty blond hair and the Ouran uniform hugging the door frame. The twins notice her too; they lean on the door frame holding two roses using their "patented host skills". Tamaki intervenes using his "princely" lines; at first she hesitates, then slaps him in the face. She goes off in a tyrant saying he's not the princely character, after he goes "one-man-slow-motion" she sees Kyoya and jumps into his arms. What. The-

* * *

><p>The club closes and 'Renge' explains why she's "engaged" to Kyoya.<p>

"I love the way you were gazing at those flowers when you thought no one was looking!" she exclaimed. "Or how sweet it was when you reached out to the poor little injured kitten!"

"Is it possible you have the wrong person?" asks Haruhi.

That question set her off, "No way! I can notice my true love anywhere! He's a kind gentleman who helps anyone in need and thinks of himself last!" she doesn't have the wrong person… she's crazy. She continues on her deranged 'love-rant', "He looks like the popular dating sim from Uki-Doki Memorial! You're my real life Ichi Dobi Abi!"

Haruhi and I, having no idea what the hell she's talking about, managed to question simultaneously, "**Uki?**"

"Doki?"

Tamaki and the twins labeled her as an "otaku" and were somehow petrified at the thought of it. She doesn't seem any different than the herds of fan-girls they deal with everyday.

"I see now." Kyoya said sitting the couch, " she's in love with that character. She projected that love onto me and somehow diluted herself into thinking that we're engaged. I assume that this Ichi character wears glasses as well."

The next day the club seemingly has a meeting about what to do with Renge, but it turned out to be about me and Haruhi. I highly doubt he's actually taken interest in me personally, yet somehow he's managed to lump me in the same group as her. She's a host and I'm the 'dog' who can do tricks. All this club sees are the similarities, like "we both need to awaken are femininity" or something like that, they waste my talent and my time. Just then Renge comes back from the kitchen with a batch of hockey pucks, I mean "cookies", for Kyoya.

I sort of missed most of the dialogue because, one: I had to finish the drawings, and two: I honestly don't give a damn about what she has to say. But somehow she gets into this rant about changing the hosts characteristics. Honey she said was the "baby-faced thug", Mori is his "childhood flunky", Haruhi's the "bulled honor-student", the twins are "basket-ball-players-trapped-in-their-own-world" _(Ouran has a basketball team?)_, Tamaki's the "lonesome prince", and I'm the "emotionally scarred artist"… wait what?

Oh hell no, they couldn't _pay _me to get involved with this, "Um, excuse me Renge? I'm not a host." Everyone gets into their thinking poses. By the way, you _run_ when they're in their thinking poses.

Hikaru starts, "Now that you mention it some of the ladies started requesting Rikku thinking he was a host..."

Honey interjected, "Rikku-chan would be so cute as a host, right Takashi?"

"Yeah."

I had to stop this ball from rolling, "Uh, no I wouldn't!"

"Now that I think about it weren't you going on about how cute Rikku is when he's working, Tamaki?" of course Kyoya _had_ to say something.

"Alright then", don't say it, "as of this day", shut up, "Rikku-chan is officially the Host Club's "Artistic Type"!" okay… _now_ I'm in hell. Renge was either completely oblivious to my ordeal or she refuses to acknowledge it, but either way, the "show" must go on.

* * *

><p>The next day a Hollywood film crew is set up in the end of the North building. You'd think a Hollywood film crew would be able to shoot a <em>half<em> decent move that doesn't bore the crap out of me— well you'd be wrong. Were out here almost three hours because Renge keeps yelling "cut" every frame, at this rate my _brother _will make it home before me. Even if she's going to be a bad director, at least write some lines someone would _actually_ say, who goes up to someone who just got their ass kicked and asks, "Can I capture your agony in a portrait of mine"?. Well that doesn't matter. Me and Haruhi had already finished our scene together when Renge calls Haruhi. I'm still drying my _drenched _hair from that rain scene when I hear Haruhi scream.

I throw my towel and run so fast I'm there in half a second, when I arrive I see two class-D thugs looming over her. On a kneejerk reaction I punch the first guy in the face so hard he bounces when he hits the ground, the second guy who's closest to her, I knee him in the chest and pin him to the ground ready to break his arm any second. Tamaki rushes in, sees this spectacle take place, and goes straight to Haruhi holding her face.

"Which one of you started this?" I practically growl tightening my grip on his arm.

His friend speaks up, "It wasn't us, it was that girl. She was giving us a hard time."

Haruhi finally spoke up, "He's right, they were provoked."

If there weren't so many witnesses, that crew would be washing away her _**blood **_by now. I swear to God that girls ass is mine. But I conceal my pissed-off-ness and talk to her in a firm even tone, "You can't go around judging people like that Renge, that's stereotyping... And", I kneel down to look her in the eyes, "If you do that you don't get to know them for who they really are."

* * *

><p>The next day I knew after the weekend I'd have to start my "host training", and I was prepared for hell. I already knew Kyoya had the intent to sell the DVD's, and he used my drawings as bonus material, so overall things were okay. Well, until the bitch Renge walks up in hear like nothing happened, "I just came to say thank you and", here comes the fan-girl squeal, "I thought it was so chivalrous of you to protect me Haruhi, and when you were scolding me about not judging people you were talking about me, weren't you Rikku?"<p>

"Well... yeah...", I couldn't finish my sentence before she was dragging me and Haruhi off into the sunset.

"Come on Haruhi, Rikku, I think its time you got to know me better. Lets go play at my house!"

Tamaki called after us saying he didn't want us to have a girlfriend… now that I think about it I don't even want to _know_ what her definition of "play" is.


	4. The Twins Ruin My Life

So far I would think I'm a pretty good host, I mean, none of my guests slapped me in the face so I guess that's good. Just now, I barely have time for homework _(not that I won't ace without it), _or artwork. But it's pretty much a lose-lose scenario: if I neglect my hosting to get the artwork done Kyoya will be pissed, and if I neglect my artwork for my hosting Kyoya will be pissed; do not get Kyoya pissed. I just can't deal with this crap right now; my brother just started grad school and he'll throw his textbooks at my head if I make a sound _(you try getting a metal stew-pot from the top shelf quietly), _no, but I have a huge 8 1/2x 11 mark tattooed across the back of my head right now. _I know what you're thinking and no, he's not abusive. He was just having a bad day _Well thank God it's _not_ Friday, at least I don't have to paint a "your-college-fund-couldn't-afford-this" cosplay. I finish homework for all eight of my classes in less than an hour, curtsey of my photographic memory, and decide to leave before my brother gets home so I can make dinner. I grab my bag and walk with Haruhi to the door, but unfortunately, she _had_ to get involved in their "Which one is Hikaru? Game". They invited us to play a round with a penalty of coming over Haruhi's place.

The twirled around and started simultaneously, "**So, which one of us is Hikaru?"**

I just want to get this over with so I can leave. I point to Kaoru, "This one is Kaoru."

Haruhi pointed to Hikaru, "And this one is Hikaru", they froze a bit before trying to lie to us.

"**Oh no, you got it wrong"**

Haruhi and I were so in sync _we_ answered simultaneously, **"No, I know I'm right."** in the back of my mind I couldn't stop thinking of how weird that sounds coming from us.

Some of the customers asked how we could tell them apart.

"Well its kinda hard to put it…", Haruhi said.

"Kaoru has the deeper of the two voices." I sate.

"And Hikaru's speech and actions make him come off as more mischievous than Kaoru", she says.

The twins seemed to freeze for a while before Kaoru busted out laughing. He's still doubled over, "Sorry Hikaru, I don't mean to laugh." his laughter seemed to come to an end when Hikaru's face scrunched up.

"Well I don't see what's so funny. I'm honest, I speak my mind, and I don't hold back. Its sneaky people like Kaoru that are the real trouble makers." Kaoru seemed to deadpan.

After that they threw a barrage of insults at each other, from "Your bad at math/your failing foreign language" to "**your mother wears too much make-up!**" _T__hey can't be for real._

Tamaki speeds in leaving a trail of dust behind him. He then goes on the scold the twins for posting… naked pics of me and Haruhi… _**on the club's website.**__ They are so __**fucking**__ dead! _I decide to wait for an explanation before I ring they're little necks into oblivion.

Haruhi has her "pissed-off face" on now, "Stop making weird pictures of us, just what do you take us for?"

Sadistic-ass smirks appear on the twins' faces, "**Well that's easy...**" they start, "**You're our toys.**"

"In order to entertain one's self in this otherwise boring life, one must find himself stimulating toys." Hikaru explains.

As he finishes Hikaru finds himself doubled over with my hands around his scrawny neck, "What the hell kind of explanation is that. You don't just mess with people because they're your "_toys_", give me one good reason why I shouldn't break you in half right here".

"Because if you do Kyoya would be on your ass, Rikku."

Kyoya steps in pushing his glasses on the bridge of his nose, "On the contrary Hikaru, your photo-shopping is what instigated this. So you'll be the one to deal with her."

Hikaru was just about ready to cuss Kyoya out_, _but was interrupted by some dude in a black cloak talking to us through a crack in a door that appeared out of nowhere. He talks about a "Black Magic Club", it's eerie, dark, and borderline satanic: sounds like my kind of club. But honestly who wouldn't baby-barf at the amount of pastels the Host Club uses regularly? The twins try to get Nekozowa, that's apparently his name, with a flashlight. Tamaki then goes on to say something that everyone ignored. Tamaki sneaks up behind us telling us not to get involved with what's-his-face over there. He then goes on to tell us some bs story on how what's-his-face's doll-thing and got "cursed", I turn to Kyoya for an actual explanation.

"So what's the deal with that?" I ask him.

Kyoya closes his notebook and gives me a bored look, "Well he was so freaked out that he wandered into the Beginning Greek class and took their exam."

"Then why was he saying his legs were heavy the next day?"

"Because he ran a marathon the day before"

…idiot…

I look out the window and see its getting dark, "Well I have to go. I have to go shopping and make diner, so see ya", I head out and close the doors behind me.

* * *

><p>*<strong>Kyoya Thoughts<strong>*

_(I wonder, who does she even live with? I read on her profile that her parents died September 9__th__ 2001, and that she had no living relatives. So who exactly is her legal guardian?)_

* * *

><p>I manage to get home in time to start dinner. What annoys me is that if you look at our living room it has "Ryukyu" all over it, his shoes, his clothes, and his books… everywhere. Once I finish with dinner I put it in the fridge and got to my room, I know Ryukyu would be angry at me if I touched his stuff. I mean, he may be my legal guardian, but that doesn't mean we've worked everything out<p>

Just then Ryukyu walked through the door, he smelled like a mini-bar.

"Rikku come here!", I come out of my room to the kitchen, "Closer", I come even closer to him and he pulls me into a hug. As I closed my eyes he pulled out a knife and drove it into my arm, his hand over my mouth to stifle my screams, "What did I tell you about your germy hands on my stuff", he slowly moved the knife downwards splitting my dark skin, "I never…ah…even touched it". He loses his patience and slashes through the rest of my arm, I freeze in place as I get over the aftershock, he backhands me so hard a bump my head on the rock hard titami mats.

This would hurt him more than it does me… if he would only remember any of this in the morning.

* * *

><p>The next morning my arm is wrapped in gauze and bandages, but my shirt and blazer cover them up. Today I wasn't particularly interested in putting up with the Host Club, but I'll be damned if I let them know that. Class was about to start so I'm at my seat taking out my books when my arm starts throbbing, good thing I have a high pain tolerance, but my "fucking-idiot" tolerance is far below zero. Hikaru walks into class and says "good morning" to Haruhi—he has flamenco pink hair.<p>

Haruhi was more confused than pissed-off, "Hikaru… what happened to your hair?".

Hikaru looked so proud of himself, "Well pink suits me. From now on I'll be known as the pink-haired twin, I couldn't go on being mistaken for that Kaoru for the rest of my life."

As if on cue Kaoru walks in with electric blue hair, "Good morning Rikku."

"What the hell happened to your hair?" I didn't have time for their mind games so I just get right to the point.

"My sense of individuality, that's what happened. And besides, blue suits me, don't you agree?"

"Then why do you two look like you're playing _Divide and Concur_?"

Kaoru answered me with a bored expression, "Well what my brother does has nothing to do with me. And I don't even care that Haruhi took his side on this," cue Haruhi's confused expression. "But we always have each other."

I was going to say something before I found his index finger at my collarbone. After I figured out what he was going to do I cringed, even more so when his finger slowly dragged up my neck stopping to tickle the edge of my chin. I hold my neck, twitching; I'm so embarrassed I can't even think about how I'm going to kill him. At lunch me and Haruhi got dragged to the cafeteria by our respective twins. Neither of us had a reason to be here since we both bring a box lunch. We sit next to each other, a twin on either side, and open our lunches. Haruhi brought leftover bacon and eggs, I made a leftover turkey sandwich and a thermos of soup. I decide to confront Kaoru once he sits down.

"How could you just embarrass me like that in front of the whole class?" I question him angrily.

That same smile I hate comes across his face, "It wasn't that bad, and there's no shame in being the uke. Besides, I could've done something _a lot _worse"

"Oh yeah, just what's worse than-", he cuts me off.

"Rikku, would you like to try some crab? It's from the fatty part so commoners would never be able to afford it", I didn't get a chance to answer before he had my jaw in an iron grip, "Say ahh", he moved the fork closer to my mouth, to me, in slow motion.

I try to protest, "I swear to God, Kaoru you're a dead-", he popped the crab into my mouth and took the fork away. If it didn't taste so good his head would have been rolling away leaving a trail of blood.

He swaps his tray for my boxed lunch, "Here, take my tray."

I hate being used in their games, but if it means food like this, there's a chance I'd get used to it. But that feeling didn't last. In no time the twins were throwing anything in their path _(*cough*Honey*cough*senpai), _we decided to eat in the classroom like usual.

* * *

><p>Later that day he club had a meeting to discuss what we're going to do about the twins.<p>

Kyoya goes on still typing on his laptop, "At this rate we'll have to stop offering our "Brotherly Love package", we're down a pair of loving brothers", he looks up from his laptop, "Oh and Haruhi, don't feel responsible for this. Even though it was _your _tactless comment that set the two off."

Haruhi gives him a look of disbelief, "Kyoya's right actually. If could have just kept your mouth shut we wouldn't be in the middle of this."

"How are you going to blame this on me for this?"

I see no need to raise my voice, "Pretty easily when you think about it. But I don't think you'd be asking that if you knew the kind of things Kaoru's capable of on his own." a chill goes through my spine just at the thought of it and I repress a shiver.

We return to the club room to find that the twins had thrown everything in the room, the evidence was in a huge pile in the middle of the room As they both rant on about whatever Kaoru pulls out a cursed doll what's-his-face was selling. He says he's going to put a curse on Hikaru, we both decide that's enough. We run over to them; Haruhi practically jumps to punch Hikaru in the head, I punch Kaoru diagonally in the jaw.

Haruhi was practically screaming, while I just kept an even tone, "**What do you think you're doing?.You don't bring something like this into a petty fight!.Now both of you apologize this instant, **or neither of you are coming to my house!" Haruhi said that last part on her own, mainly because I knew it was a stupid thing to say.

Those identical smiles I hate come across the twins' faces, "So what you're saying is, if we make up we can come to your place", with that they linked arms with us sandwiched between them—this is why I said it was stupid.

Haruhi turned to check the back of the cursed doll, the word "fail" was written on the back in Kanji. Before she can say anything she finds herself doubled over with my hands around her scrawny neck.

"This is why you don't go blurting out stupid things," I whisper the next part and shake her even more. "I live right under you, so they'd have to try extra hard to miss my place."


	5. Save me from the Jungle Pool

To those who care: I skipped over episode 6 because it's a filler and pointless the series.

* * *

><p>Classes have ended for the day and we were heading home, overall a peaceful day. But nothing is peaceful when the Host Club is involved. The twins grabbed me and Haruhi by the arms, a limo pulled up and Tamaki rolled down the window, "Excellent, take them with you."<p>

We try to protest but they're already moving us to the car, "**Wait. Where are we going?**"

Next thing I know we're being dragged into a changing room by the twins. Two identical maids take us inside and close the door, next thing I know we're both stripped naked. Thousands of bathing suits line the walls of the changing room, this would be amazing if I wasn't freezing my ass off right now. The maids tell us they're going to help us choose a bathing suit—despite our protests. There's a reason I don't go to water-parks, I wouldn't be caught dead in a swimsuit. They go through many different ones before they manage to get Haruhi in a pink and white tankini, and me in a blue and white striped bikini. I put on a white long-sleeve cover up before anyone else can see me then I run out of there as fast as I can. I don't stop to even look at the hosts, how could they just bring me here without asking me first? There's a good reason I never come to water-parks.

* * *

><p><strong>Kyoya POV<strong>

I'm lounging in a shaded area watching the other hosts play in the pool. One of the reasons I brought them all here was so I could get them off my back for a day, kind of like planning my own vacation. But I knew if I wanted to shut Tamaki up I'd have to bring the girls, but I'm not exactly complaining either. Some downtime with Rikku could help me get some interesting data on her _(and catching her in a swimsuit isn't bad either)_.But a pang of disappointment went over me when I saw her running past me in a long-sleeve cover up. Wait, what is she running from? I catch up to her and grab the end of her cover up, "Rikku, what's going on?" I pull at the end of it and she falls down.

The cover up is in my hand and Rikku is on the ground, I ignore the fact that she has a fantastic body and go straight to the fact that she's covered in deep scars and dark bruises. I stare at her in disbelief.

She shoots me a look, "This is why I don't wear swimsuits", she grabbed the cover up from me a put it on. I tried to reach out to her but she smacked my hand away, "Don't touch me… ever." she was almost raising her voice at me—almost. She continued to run away from me.

* * *

><p><strong>Rikku POV<strong>

No one was supposed to see me like this. I run as fast as I can, I don't know where I'm going, but anyplace is better than here. I hear Kyoya calling after me, but I ignore him, I speed up in fear of him catching up to me again. I'm at the edge of the current pool and before I know it I'm falling in, I don't have time to flail around before a giant current knocks the breath out of me. I'm drowning. I manage to get to the surface so I can take a breath, the current pushes me to a near-drowning Honey. I instinctively grab him as the current continues to carry us away. We pick up speed. Before I can brace myself my back slams against the wall of the current pool—hard. Honey gets out of the pool, the ending current knocks the air out of me and I start drowning again. But before water cold start filling my lungs Honey pulls me out of the pool.

"Are you alright Rikku-chan?" he asks.

I fight the instinct to be sarcastic, "I've been...ha ha… better."

I manage to dry off my cover up a little so it doesn't cling to my body. I do a once-over of our surroundings and have come up with a sound evaluation—we're lost. I mean _really _lost, we were in the deepest part of this moc-jungle. I try to come up with a plan, "Well now that we've reached the end we should follow the current pool. It should lead us to the others", I start walking the path of the current pool.

Honey flashes a big smile, "I know a way there that's way faster than walking", he sped-climbed up the nearest tree and jumped off of that tree branch to the next one.

I give him a smile back and join him on the branch he's on. At this height we can still see the current pool's direction, and at the rate we're going we'll meet up with the others in no time. Well that is if we don't get slowed down by the obstacles ahead—crocodiles. Honey and I nod at each other, I go ahead of him and jump onto the croc's back. Before he could snap at me I jumped off his back and Honey drop-kicked him in the jaw. However, there was no time to celebrate, Haruhi and Mori were about to be gunned down right in front of us. We climbed the tree in front of us and grabbed onto a vine, we then swung off the tree heading straight for them. We landed right in the middle of all the guards and immediately started attacking them—no one hurts my friends. One of the guards snuck up behind me and tripped me up, he came close to kicking me if Honey hadn't grabbed his leg and flipped him. The guards were defeated, Haruhi and Mori were safe, and everything was alright. Once Haruhi broke free from Tamaki's hug I went over to her.

"Those guards didn't hurt you did they?" I ask her.

Haruhi shook her head and put her hands up in defense, "Oh no, I'm alright."

"But I have to wonder, are you alright Rikku?" Kyoya shot me a concerned look that seemed unusual for him, but I knew he wasn't talking about me being lost in the jungle.

I look away from him, "Yeah, I'm fine." I answer him. But what did he expect? I wasn't going to talk about that in front of everyone, my only problem now is will he?

We all left the jungle and started moving towards the exit when the twins suggested going to the beach next time.

Tamaki dismissed the idea, "You idiots, they wouldn't want to go to place like that."

Haruhi interjected, "You know I actually don't mind the beach. I might not be into this whole water-park thing, but I do like the ocean".

"Water-parks I hate, but the beach I can tolerate." I added. Tamaki instantly changed in mind and announced next time we'd be going to the beach. And unbeknownst to me, seeds of love were slowly being planted.


	6. The Sun, the Sea, and revealed Fears

I was working on a few of my sketches while Haruhi was studying, I hand nearly forgotten the water-park and things were returning to normal. Well, the Host Club's definition of normal, that was until the twins stood in front of us with rows and rows of swimsuits behind them. They had picked out two swimsuits for us to _"wear" _at the beach.

I give the suits a onceover, "And just who do you expect to wear those?"

"**Well you two of course!**"

"I wouldn't try that if you value your lives." I monotone.

They ignore me, "Why not you two have the perfect bodies for it. Just look at Haruhi," they pick her up by the arms. "This uniform barely hides the fact she's flat as a cutting board; so this two ruffled two-piece hides her lacking feminine physic. Whil you on the other hand have to bind your chest to pass as a guy; so we selected this bikini—"

"No-way-in-hell."

Tamaki hit the twins with a baseball bat, "You two better stop sexually harassing my little girls, I have had enough. Of. You"

"**So does this mean we're not going to the beach?**"

He rests the bat on his shoulder, "Who said we're not going?"

Haruhi and I questioned simultaneously, "**So we're really going to go to the beach?**"

We arrive in Okinawa and the twins start complaining, _"why'd we come to Okinawa", "why didn't we just go to the Caribbean, or Fiji"_, well why don't you two shut the hell up.

"But did you honestly think commoners like Haruhi and Rikku would have passports?" asks Kyoya condescendingly.

"I'm right here ya know."

"I'm wasn't born in Japan, I have a visa."

I don't know why I just told him that, Kyoya pulled out his "stalker-book" and is now jotting stuff down like crazy. It turns out Kyoya invited all the guests as well, to keep them "entertained" I guess, so we're not changing into swimsuits. However I'm not sure if all of that was coincidental... We're sitting under a beach umbrella looking at the sea, Haruhi's sitting up "gym-style" while I'm laying down with my head cradled in my hands, a few of the costumers come up two us and ask if we want to swim with them. Oh hell no, they couldn't pay me to do that.

Haruhi turned to look at them using her "sparkle-technique", "I prefer looking at the sea from a safe distance." the girls then asked if they could join us.

"But why?" I ask. "You ladies have cute bathing suites, why not show them off?"

Harts filled their eyes and they left, I didn't have the patience to deal with that today. But me and Haruhi decide to get up and walk around, we see Honey with a bucket and he asks us if we want to go "hellfish shunting".

"I don't know Honey-senpai, this doesn't seem to be that kind of beech—", I grab her shoulder and point to the army of shell fish on the sand. "WHAT THE HELL?"

The day went on and I was helping Haruhi find shellfish, I was wading into the water on the other side. I met up with Tamaki and the twins on the beach, and for some reason Tamaki had a bucket of Habu snakes, "So is there some _profound_ reason you're holding a bucket of poisonous Hubu snakes?"

Before I could get a reaction from him one of the ladies from before ran up to us. She had tears in her eyes, "Someone help, its Haruhi!" I dropped my bucket and ran to the cliff as fast as I could with Tamaki on my heels, we get there right before she's thrown off the cliff by a thug.

* * *

><p>Tamaki has Haruhi in his arms as they come out of the water.<p>

He puts her down on the sand, "What were you thinking? You against two boys?"

"It didn't matter that they were boys and I'm a girl, I was there so I had to do something!"

"That's no excuse you idiot, don't forget you're a girl!"

I come between Haruhi and Tamaki, "Haruhi, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Rikku." she answers.

"Good, in that case," I punch her in the face, not enough to knock her out... but hard enough. "What the hell were you thinking? You should have called for help... just because you dress like a guy doesn't mean you are one." tears well up in my eyes. "You're such a _fucking idiot _Haruhi." and with that I made my way back to the hotel. The whole club had this weird look frozen on their faces, I knew there were some real idiots in the Host Club, but all of them are just _fucking retards._

The rest of the club made their way to the hotel and were in the dining room. Honey looks out the window, "It sure is gloomy outside, I wonder if it's going to rain?"

My thoughts race at the sound of the word "rain". _J__ust because it rains doesn't mean there will be thunder._

"It's not just outside", Hikaru starts, "It's pretty gloomy right here." Kaoru gestures to me and Tamaki.

"**Look Rikku, the boss we know, but would it kill you to crack a smile now and then**"

[A/N: if you want to see Rikku smiling check my profile]

The twins shiver, "**You know what, never-mind..."** just then Haruhi came through the doors in a light pink frilly dress that made all the hosts fawn over her, even Kyoya. The crabs were set on the table, I decide to cut through the "awkward" crap and dig in. Eventually everyone else follows my lead. Haruhi starts eating the crabs and goes through them like water, Tamaki tries to say something but she ignores him immaturely. Tamaki get's fed up and storms out of the room and Kyoya follows after him. The twins confront Haruhi telling her that she should apologize, Honey agrees.

"I'm really sorry for making you worry you guys."

They all huddle in a group hug, "Ahh, we forgive you!" then they go on to say how cute she is.

"Oh and Rikku, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for making you worry so much as well" she looked at me with those puppy-dog eyes she didn't know she had.

"No, you're not sorry." I monotone. "So don't just say things half-heartedly without really meaning it." I got up and left the dinning room.

Everyone stared at me as I left, "That seems strange coming from Rikku-chan." Honey said breaking the silence.

Haruhi gave him a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"Well it always seemed like Rikku was so concerned with protecting you," Kaoru started. "But now it seems like she's letting you have it." Hikaru interjected.

"Protecting me?"

"**You're hopeless."** just then Haruhi got nauseous and turned green. Everyone rushed to get her to the nearest bathroom.

* * *

><p>I stood in the dark hallway waiting for Kyoya to come out.<p>

He smiled at me, "I'm impressed you came up with that plan by yourself, it worked like a charm."

My expression didn't waver, "You didn't tell her anything did you?" I ask ignoring his attempts at flattery.

"Not a thing. She thinks Hikaru and Kaoru beat up the thugs."

* * *

><p>*<strong>Flashback<strong>*

Tamaki had dived off the edge of the cliff after Haruhi. I go after the one who pushed her, I trip him up and kneed him in the chest causing him to double over but not quiet fall down. He recovers and tries to punch me in the face, I doge it, grab his arm and flip him. A bullet flies past me brushing against my hair.

"Just what do you think you're doing small fry"

He shoots at me again and I doge it, I get closer to him and he aims at my chest. He pulls the trigger but I push his wrist away, I spin behind him grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm so he drops the gun. I grab the gun and aim it at his neck.

"Now do you understand?", I move my finger from the trigger and hit his neck with the back of the gun, knocking him out.

The other one tries to get up, but he stops when I aim the gun at him. I move closer to him still aiming at him, when I'm close enough I grab his wrist, I twist his arm and force him to the ground. Once he's on his knees I break his arm and knock him out with the back of the gun

* * *

><p>"This may be none of my business, but why do you always go behind the clubs back to do something like this?" he questions me.<p>

I sigh, "You're right Kyoya…" I say. "It is none of your business. But do you really think it's a good idea to leave those two alone in there?"

He smiled and pushed his glasses up, "But of course, she's with our fearless leader after all. What could possibly go wrong?"


	7. A Day in the Life of the Suzuki Family

**A/N: **Hello my loyal fans, since it's summer and I'm bored i decided to spice up this story! One of the main changes I'll report is that Ryuu's name has been changed to _Ryukyu_.

* * *

><p>Winter break starts and I'm just about done with my make-up work, which I wouldn't have to do if I hadn't missed the last two weeks of the term, which wouldn't have been the case if I didn't have to stay home because of all the bruises Ryukyu gave me. Not that this isn't normal, but he's gotten so desperate lately he's been going to the gay bar all week. When he's drunk all he ever talks about is this "Ranka". But despite all that winter break has begun, Ryukyu spends all his time in his room sleeping, and until the next term begins the Host Club is a distant memory. I went shopping, sat through breakfast without getting knives thrown at me, and finished all my make up work. Now I've positioned myself near our back window with a clear view of the near-winter landscape, I can finally take my time now that the Host Club isn't breathing down my neck. But now that I think about it, ever since I "joined" the Host Club all I've ever painted was their "your-life-savings-couldn't-cover-this" cosplay, I've been painting like their little work dog. I finish my rough sketch of the landscape and move on to the shading and value, I decide black-and-white would be best for this one. I lose my focus when I hear, what might as well be a tornado, coming from the unit right above us.<p>

Ryukyu slides open his door, "Damn-it Rikku, how many times have I told you to keep it down!"

"Sorry brother, it won't happen again." just what the hell is Haruhi _doing _up there.

"You're damn right it won't!" he yells.

He closes his door and I try to get back to my drawing, what I didn't realize was that I had made a heavy pencil mark right across my paper. Frustrated, I start over and manage to get to the charcoal, and then I hear another sound and smear the charcoal all over the paper. By the time I'm done I have six consecutive "do-over's" balled up on the floor around me, but something inside me told me this wasn't a coincidence. I put my fleece-lined bomber jacket over my black and grey striped sweater and my dark-washed boot-cut jeans and head upstairs to check on Haruhi.

"My God, she better be fucking _dying_ for her to make that much noise..." I say to myself as I climb the rickety old steps to the upper level of the condominium.

I make it to unit 206 and knock on the door. Haruhi greets me through a crack in the door. "Oh you're still alive. In that case _you're dead._" she was too jumpy to respond to what I was saying.

She locks my shoulder in an iron grip, "Oh Rikku you must stay for tea," she flashes me this strange look. "I _insist_."

"Well alright I guess, but just keep it down my brother's-", I walk inside and see six male faces staring at me. Haruhi quickly locks the door behind me. I feel around for her shirt collar and grabbed it pulling her closer to me. I attempt to whisper, "What is wrong with you? If you know the meaning of the word "vacation", then why did you bring _Them. Here."_

"It's not my fault, they invited themselves." she rationalizes.

Now the rest of the club is just staring at me, I creep over to the end of the table and sit criss-cross style,"I hate to break your pattern, but you don't have to sit like that. There's plenty of room."

All of them are sitting around talking to Haruhi's... father, I think. It's hard to tell under all the make-up, skirt, flamboyancy, and the stage name… _Ranka_? I don't even want to know. For some reason the Host Club thinks when you barge into someone else's home _uninvited _that gives you the right to ask for lunch, they're lucky Haruhi's too nice to tell them to-

"So Rikku I've heard you live close by, so how often do you visit Haruhi?" of course the _stalker_ would want to know that. But there's no way I'm letting them barge up in my place.

I don't see any point in lying to him, "Well I do live close by..." _where_ is something Kyoya could find out on his own. So he might as well hear it from me, "I live one floor down actually."

"Wow Rikku-chan, I thought it was a myth but commoners really do like to live close to each other!" you are so lucky you're cute.

"Wait so the all the homes are the same. Damn yours must be poverty-stricken as well." you aren't as lucky Hikaru.

"Well I think it's admirable of you to move close to my darling little girl so she can finally have a girlfriend!" both of us just had to face-palm right there.

I wasn't about to make them think they were welcome at my place. If they knew what I was putting up with everyday they'd try to _save me_, but they don't know how hard I've worked just to get where I am today. I just can't deal with them getting involved in my personal life. Thank God for their short attention spans, Ranka was going on about what he already knew about the Host Club.

"What the hell dad? I didn't know you were getting calls from Kyoya-senpai!"

The she-male was sheepish to answer, "Well what do you expect me to do? You hardly ever tell me anything about school." I tuned out most of what she was saying until she left, but therefore, all the attention was on me. And I knew Kyoya just had to play 20 questions.

"So Rikku, who exactly do you live with?"

I saw no point in lying to him, he's just find out the truth one way or another. But considering there's so much I can't say I'd have to filter _a lot, _"Well at home it's just my brother and me," good start. Now all I have to do is sell him a bit, "When our parents died he studied case managing and law for a while so he could win my custody, after that we settled here and started rebuilding our lives. But I will admit he has been busy with his job and the college courses he's taking online." At the rate my heart is going they should have been hearing an echo by now. I was pretty sure everyone else would buy it, no problem; it was Kyoya I had to convince. But with a story like that would make even the toughest lawyers crack, but my question now is: will it get Kyoya off my back? The glare on his glasses hid his eyes—but when are is eyes ever visible?

He put on one of his fake smiles,"Well it sounds like you have a very loving brother." he says. I had mixed emotions about that. Glad that he bought it for now, but something else. Something having to do with the "loving" part, I didn't know how I felt about it because I wasn't completely sure if Ryukyu loved me anymore. I looked at the clock attempting to find a way out.

"It's getting late, and I completely forgot I had to get food." without the slightest hesitation I went to the door, grabbed my shoes, and left. Technically I didn't lie, it might not be that late but Ryukyu never cooks anyway. There was only one grocery store in town and that's the one where Haruhi was... but knowing if I didn't come back with food I'd get something thrown at me _larger _than a textbook... I have to go _right_ now. I sneak in, grab my skateboard, and head over to the grocery store. Once there I waste no time getting half the things I need; now all that was left is the meat. As I get closer to the meat isle I make out two distinct silhouettes, and as I get even closer I recognize six distinct faces. The Host Club. Their running around the store as if it were an amusement park; Tamaki was complaining about how hungry he was, the twins were running over to a display of "commoner's coffee", Honey was filling a shopping cart with full size cakes and Mori was pushing the cart. All the idiots were here. Wait, not all of them, where's Kyoya?

* * *

><p>-<strong>Kyoya POV<strong>—

I don't mean to sound like Tamaki, but I had to check on Rikku's living conditions. The story on her brother sounded suspicious—borderline filtered, but she did manage to make a convincing argument for him. But one thing I cannot ignore are those wounds I saw on her at the water-park. And since I'm sure they didn't just pop up out of nowhere, something's going on at home. I now know that her legal guardian is her brother, since she apparently _has _a brother. Most of her information is back in America. All I know is her parents died on—what is considered in the US as "9/11", they were apparently mixed. After their death Rikku moved here at the end of middle school. All I needed to know now were her living conditions. I went down the stairs and to unit 106. I knocked lightly on the door, no answer, I reached to knock again and the door swung open. A man in his early twenties stood in the doorway with half empty beer bottle in his hand, he was about the same height or maybe a little taller than Mori-senpai with the same black hair and dark skin as Rikku, you could easily tell they were related.

"Can I help you?", I remember Rikku telling me those kinds of comments were called _commoner sarcasm_.

"That depends, is this the Suzuki residence?"

He paused to take a few gulps from the bottle, "Well that depends who's asking."

I decide not to mention my name just yet, "I'm one of Rikku's friends from school, you know, Ouran Academy."

He had to think for a minute. Really? You don't even know what school your little sister goes to,"Oh right. Well come in."

I went inside and he closed the door behind me. While his back was turned I did a quick onceover of the place, and honestly it's hard to tell Rikku even lives here, there were clothes, textbooks, plus beer bottles and cans all over the place. But other than the natural odor that would imamate from a place like this there was a distinct smell, yet I couldn't place it. Based on the smell coming from him I assumed he was "under the influence", so I decided to take advantage of that.

"Oh by the way my name's Suzuki Ryukyu."

"Well Suzuki-san, is it okay with you if I go in your sister's room?"

"Sure it's the one in the back."

This was so easy it wasn't even pleasurable. From the looks of the Living room I guessed Rikku was pretty much living in her room, yet once I left I recognized that same smell started to fill the room again. I'd have to make note of that. I opened the door to find that the room was relatively neat, that was until I looked under her bed, sewn into the mattress was a rather large first-aid kit. I could understand keeping a small one around for cuts and scrapes, but this one was fit for an ambulance. I went to open the case only to find it covered in a sticky substance, when I opened the actual case I found out what that substance was: blood. It was everywhere. Though some of the supplies kept dry; like the multiple-feet long roll of gauze, the half gallon of peroxide, and thousands of bandages ranging from small enough for a finger to large enough to cover a gaping hole. And probably what scared me the most: about ten jars of consular. I looked for more evidence around the room. The trash can next to her desk was nearly filled with blood spattered papers, and the dates on them were all too recent.

In my investigating I didn't hear anyone at the door, and before I knew it Rikku was there.

* * *

><p>-<strong>Rikku POV<strong>—

I found Kyoya in my house, in my room. Ryuu must have been getting drunk if he let him in here, I knew I hadn't fooled him at Haruhi's... but now everything was out in the open. He was looking through my bloody first-aid kit and the bood stained homework I had to re-do. I could barley talk without letting tears leak through my eyes, "I'll walk you to the door." was all I could manage. I couldn't even think about the rest of the club finding out. As we leave my room I freeze looking down on my brother. He had collapsed and was sprawled out on the floor, I run over to him to put my index and middle finger to the arteries in his neck: his pulse was slowing down. I kneel down next to him and cradle him in my arms. Warm tears dampen my cheeks, "Kyoya call an ambulance!" His phone was already out dialing, once he got someone on the line he gave them directions. He then told me an ambulance was on its way here to take him to an Ootori Hospital. I was too frantic to protest. I continued to cradle Ryukyu in my arms and crying streams of tears that land on his shirt, because that's all I can do.

Since I was Next of Kin I had to fill out all the paperwork the Ootori hospital required; the Ootori hospital required _extremely _detailed paperwork. His tests were done and he's in a room by the time I'm finished. Kyoya escorts me to the waiting room, there waiting for us was the rest of the Host Club. It took all my willpower just to look at them—it would take a miracle to speak, all the looks I got as a child were being thrown back in my face. I hate attention no matter what the reason; positive, negative, sympathy, or affection—I hate all the attention they bring. In all honesty it was strange to see the club in such a depressing atmosphere, let alone with faces like that. And above all Tamaki gave me a genuine look of grief. I turn to Kyoya, "Why did you call them here? This isn't anything I couldn't handle by myself."

"That's not true and you know it. I told them to come because no one in your position should be alone right now"

Tamaki walked up to me, put his hands on my shoulders and looked the straight in the eyes, "Why didn't you say something before?"

I try my hardest to avoid his gaze but I can't look away. I swat his arms away, "Because I didn't want you to know Tamaki." Near rage pulses through me as I look to Kyoya, "Just what did you tell them?"

"I haven't told them anything, that's your job. But if you don't I will."

Just then the nurse calls us in and says we can see Ryukyu now. He just started to wake up when I got in, I went over to him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. Once he was fully awake he started asking questions. "Rikku, where am I? What happened?", I knew the drill for this one.

"You hit your head on the doorframe pretty hard and now you're in a hospital"

He looked around and saw the Host Club, "Then what are they doing here?"

"They drove me over here to make sure you were alright. Hey I'm going to grab you something from the cafeteria, they should be serving dinner by now. And don't worry I know exactly what to get." and with that I left and the Host Club followed behind me. I knew they had a thousand questions for me but I motioned for them to keep quiet until we're near the cafeteria.

"Okay… now", they all blurt their questions out one after another.

"How could you lie.." Hikaru starts, "To your brother like that?" Kaoru finishes.

"Is Rikku-chan's big brother going to be alright?"

"Is he?"

"And one final question," Haruhi starts. "What really happened?" everyone except Kyoya chanted in unison.

Well none of those were questions I actually wanted to answer, but I couldn't slip away from them now. Since the last one I'd have to explain everything I figured that was best to answer first.

"Well today I'm not so sure about, but usually on weekends Ryukyu sleeps most of the day and gets up in the afternoon for a few beers. Then after he's done with his classes he throws up and he's usually fine afterwards. But today he probably cleaned off a whole shelf and nearly died of either alcohol poisoning or nearly OD." everything was silent except the background noise of the hospital.

Tamaki was the first to break the silence, "So… is this normal for him?" the answer they've all been waiting for.

I guess the whole truth was coming out, "Well uh… somewhat. During the week it's an everyday occurrence; he'll come home smelling like a mini-bar, try to study but... but he'll get frustrated and start to beat and harass me instead. But I don't bring it up to him because once he's sober he won't remember anything."

"So your not going to tell your brother he nearly OD?" questions Kaoru.

"I never do. Besides what good would it do me? The _oh I'm so glad my brother knows he's a drug addict _doesn't go over well with the police." I say. I sigh in frustration and look away from them, "Remember what I said about Ryukyu winning my custody battle?" they nodded. "Well that's only half true. Ryukyu himself, was in such a downward spiral he couldn't care less is I never saw him again, so I was the one who studied case managing. On the day of the trail all Ryukyu had to do was deliver the lines I fed him." warm tears started streaming from my eyes as I hurry to wipe them away. But by that time my face is already red. "My point is I love him, and he's all I have left in this world. So it doesn't matter how much bull-shit I have to put up with... I'm never going to leave him! I've done nothing but work hard and fight for everything I have; I fought to stay with Ryukyu, I fight everyday to survive being with him, I fought _relentlessly_ for a good education; and I still fight to this day to make a better future for myself. But not one of you can relate. Everything you have has been handed to you... or you've had someone by your side supporting you 110%" tears stream down my face, but I don't bother to wipe them. "None have you have ever fought for anything your entire lives! So you couldn't possibly understand me."

A house visit, a rude awakening, a dirty little secret spilled, and a life story out in the open. It's amazing what can happen in a day.


	8. Brothers

After what happened over the break I was sure nothing would be the same in the Host Club. The last thing I wanted to be seen as is a charity case, but they were all right there in the waiting room, if I didn't tell them Kyoya would have. No matter how slick I am I couldn't slide out of that one. I'm now at the door of the club room, my feet tried to stop me but my head told me to keep moving, not showing up today would only make things worse. But when I opened the door they were all in police uniforms, and somehow I thought of a strip club.

Tamaki was the first to come out of his pose, "Oh it's you Rikku, in that case go get changed, the guests will be arriving soon"

Since my "uniform" matched Haruhi's we were told to stand mirroring each other, like "Good cop/Bad cop". Haruhi obviously playing the good cop, and me with my hair covering my left eye, played the bad cop. As we got into our poses the door started to open, we thought it was one of the early-birds; the last thing we were expecting was some snot-nosed preschooler. But really, what the hell is a preschooler doing at a highschool host club? She points at us and jumps up and down shouting "debauchery".

She points to Kyoya, "You're the glasses character"

She points to Honey and Mori, "The boy-Lolita and the stoic type"

She points to the twins, "Twincest"

And then she points to me and Haruhi, "The bookworm and the emo kid"

Once she gets to Tamaki she jumps in his arms saying he's her "big brother". I can imagine what he'd be like with a little sister—even more annoying, so I'm pretty sure he doesn't have one.

"I wonder if "glasses character" is superior to "big brother"?"

"Does it really matter? I can't believe she called me "bookworm""

"Get over it; she called me "emo kid""

While the girl's "sparkle attack" was working on Tamaki someone poked their head through the door that appeared out of nowhere. He had blonde hair and blue eyes so he probably wasn't Japanese, it wasn't until a cat eared maid and Franken-butler put black clothes and a wig on him that I realized it was what's-his-face.

They did look alike, "Wait so the girl is what's-his-face's little sister?"

Kyoya glanced over at me, "Would it kill you to learn people's names?"

"Would it kill you to stop stalking people?", I shot back.

So to summarize what's-his-face is darker than I am and the girl is more pastel than the Host Club. But why does everyone expect siblings to get along anyway? I'd say to suck it up until your older and have no desire to even talk to each other, but of course Tamaki goes off in the opposite direction with a plan to bring them both together. But it wasn't until the floor started shaking that I realized it was too late to run. So far I think I've been pretty good with dealing with the Host Club's antics, aside from all those times I cussed them out, but today I didn't have the time. I had to apply for a part-time job at the grocery store, as Next of Kin I have to pay Ryuu's medical bills.

Everyone else leaves for the science lab while Haruhi and I to watch the girl. Since she was preoccupied with having "bookworm" read her Shojo manga I had time to work on a payment plan. I have a bill for 2,000,000 yen (roughly 20,000$)—damn Ootori hospital—one, I don't even want to know how many hours I'll have to work to pay that, and two, how the hell I'm I supposed to keep this from Ryuu? I've covered ER expenses at a normal hospital but this is insane, why does this hospital spend so much of frivolous things? But of course _everyone _wants to die in a bed with 100 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets.

I decide to take a break and go see what everyone else was up to, not that it's ever a good idea but I could use a distraction right about now. I've been paying hospital bills for a few years now, working enough to pay it and quitting before Ryuu got suspicious. It's an exhausting cycle but I do it because we're family, and he's the only one keeping me out of foster care. Even though some of what he does can be classified as child abuse I know he loves me when he's sober. He may not be the most affectionate person in the world, but we love each other. The scene at the science lab makes me wish I had stayed in the club room. Renge is beating what's-his-face to death… with a giant paper fan, Tamaki's confessing his love to a Haruhi manikin in a bathing suit, and everyone else is just watching the show.

"Well that isn't disgusting", I comment getting Tamaki and the twins attention.

Tamaki jumps, "Ah Rikku… how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that you have some strange hobbies. Just what _are_ you doing anyway?", instead of answering me he retreats to the universal emo corner and the twins start cracking up.

Haruhi then came jogging behind me, "What the hell Rikku, you couldn't have switched places with me and read to her!"

I shrugged, "Well I'm sorry, but I didn't think she'd want the "emo kid" to do the "bookworm's" job. And besides I had more important things to do"

While Haruhi was fuming at me the little girl came to the door and complained that the room was dark, but before she could start an all-out temper tantrum Tamaki picks her up and twirls her around in the hallway. I feel a twinge of jealousy come across me but I don't know why, scratch that, I knew why I just didn't want to admit it. But everyone had to stop and stare at what's-his-face when he had a flashlight in his hand and started chanting "I am a handsome princely big brother", or something like that, over and over until he turned the flashlight. I find it strange how shinning a 50watt flashlight in your face can be seen as a huge accomplishment, but apparently it can. Everyone stood applauding him as he held the flashlight to his photophobic face, I would think the light would strain his eyes by now but apparently that's not the case, still shining the light on his face he turned to his sister.

The bright light enhanced the crevices of his face creating more shadows, and at this his sister shrieked and ran away. The twins opened the shades to let some light in and saw the girl standing in the middle of the courtyard face-to-face with a cat. Alarmed by this what's-his-face glued himself to the window saying how his sister is afraid of cats, after that he jumped out of the window breaking the glass. I'm not paying for that.

* * *

><p>I decided to go home and rest for a while before I went back out. When I got home I took my shoes off and started with my normal routine of preparing dinner, but as a got out the ingredients I heard an inaudible voice calling out my name. At first I glance over my shoulder to check to see if I locked the door, it's locked, I hear the voice again and it sounds like it's coming from one of the rooms in the back. I slowly climb the counter-top to reach the top of the refrigerator where the kitchen knives are kept, Ryuu keeps him up there because he thinks' I can't reach them, but I've been climbing things since middle school. I slide a butcher knife out and silently make my way to the back rooms. Since mine is empty whoever's here must be in Ryuu's room. I take a deep breath and quickly slide his door open with the knife drawn and ready to swing, but I didn't realize the voice was coming from Ryuu.<p>

There he was lying up against the wall with tears streaming down his face. I dropped the knife and ran over to him to see if he was hurt, there didn't seem to be any blood or bruises on him, just his trademark beer cans. I did a full body check to see if he was sick or had broken something, but nothing turned up. Physically he was fine but the tears just kept coming.

He looked up at me and muttered through his sobs, "… Rikku", he closed his eyes and fell into my arms.

He's drunk, but I know the drill for this one too. I wrapped my arms around him and cradled him in my arms. His head was buried in my shoulder and his tears started to soak my shirt, yet I did not pull away. His body shakes with every sob. Once in a blue moon he'll get like this, in contrast to his violent and controlling actions, and just be vulnerable. It's times like these I know he needs me just as much as I need him. I'll just sit here holding him until he cries himself to sleep, and then tuck him in bed. That's how it has been and that's how it always will be.

I could feel him drifting asleep when someone knocked on the door, they can just come back another time. Just as I closed my eyes an even loader came through the door then they broke down the door and barged in: it was the police. About six of them surrounded the door. One pulled me away from Ryuu and backed me into a corner so I couldn't go near him; two others wrestled him to the ground and handcuffed him. Once all the officers cleared out of the room I ran outside calling after Ryuu, however an officer blocked my way. Ryuu struggled to come back to me but an officer slammed his head on the police car.

The officer reported to a man who I could barely see, "We got the child abuser, thanks for the tip Mr. Ootori", my eyes widened at the sound of that name. The officer blocking me left with the others as they drove Ryuu away, leaving me face-to-face with Kyoya.

I can't keep myself from growling, "What did you do? How could you just take him away from me?"

He answered me with an emotionless face, "I couldn't ignore what happened that night, so I called the police and reported the evidence I found. I did what was best for you"

I couldn't even speak; I was still trying to process what just happened. In a matter of seconds my whole life came crashing down on me, everyone I've ever loved in my life is gone. I have no one left to take care of me… I have no one left period. A car reading "Child Protective Services" pulls up and a woman with short dark hair in a suit gets out of the car.

She extends her hand out to me, "Miss, you need to come with me"


	9. The hell at Karuizawa

It's amazing how much things can change. On St. Valentine's Day Kyoya told me Ryuu had been charged with drug possession and distribution, so with the charges stacking up against him I'd be lucky if I see him by the time I'm thirty. The agency already relocated me. Things have simmered down to a stalemate between me and Kyoya, so I'm not expecting him, or any of the Host Club, to barge into my summer vacation. I settled into my foster home about a month ago, it's still an apartment, but its _way _larger than I'm used to. With all the money Ryuu spent to supplement his habits housing was the lowest on his priority list, so we ended up in a rickety old apartment in a rickety old building that was ready to collapse any minute. But here I have a room where I can't touch both walls at once. I have space for a mini art studio up there too, and a real bed, not some crappy futon. I was about three weeks into my summer and I've already finished one mural art, two portraits, and three water colors. The mural art is for a design studio one of my foster-parents works at, the watercolors were those landscapes I never finished, and the portraits were of my two loving foster-parents. It's seven o' clock so I hurry to the front door to see Julia and Akira out, they share a passionate good-bye kiss before they head out for work. I've never been able to say this before but; I love my foster mom's.

I straighten up the place like Julia asked before I go take my shower. Once I'm out and in my bath-wrap my cell starts ringing "Closer" by Inoue Joe and I know exactly who it is. I wrap my hair in a towel and pick up the phone, I scroll down to realize there's a whole five paragraphs. Once I finish reading I press speed-dial.

"Yeah Tamaki? Haruhi's in Karuizawa", I say over the phone.

About thirty minutes later the doorbell rings. I go to answer it until I remember who it is and they start making threats through the door.

"We know you're in their Rikku so open up", says a voice I can only recognize as Kaoru.

"If you don't we'll bust the door down!", says a voice that's obviously Hikaru.

I dive behind the sofa, "Like hell you are! You break anything I'll make you pay twice as much", why did I just say that? They're rich!

When I get up to answer the door it has already been reduced to splinters and everyone just barged in. I fall to my knees morning the door, "Just how the hell did you get this address?", I stop and think for a minute, "You know what I don't even want to know", I said.

Tamaki ignores me and gets up in my face, "How do you know where my beloved daughter is and not tell you're darling daddy!", these honorifics are starting to creep me out/piss me off, "Little girls shouldn't keep secrets like this", he whined.

I sigh, "One, I wasn't the one hiding it from you, and two, Haruhi gave me this note about a week ago, it reads: 'Dear Rikku, Never-ever-ever-ever-ever-never-ever under no circumstances, even if you die, tell the Host Club I took a summer job in Karuizawa. I know they'll just follow me, Haruhi'"

"Alright it's settled then. We're going to Karuizawa!", why does it feel like he didn't hear a word I said?

"Well before _**you **_go, I wasn't playing, you all need to fork over the cash to replace that door that _somebody_", I dart my head over to Mori and then back to Tamaki, "decided to kick down"

All of them glance at each other before nodding their heads in unison. Tamaki snaps his fingers, "Mori-senpai"

He gives his usual one word reply, "Yeah", he bends over to pick me up by the waist and hoists me over his shoulder. I kick and scram as they leave out the apartment.

I don't stop, "What the hell? Put me down!",

Before long Tamaki's yelling of the side of the helicopter and we're landing. Haruhi's furious with me.

"What the hell Rikku, didn't you get my note?", she fumed at me.

"Well I'm sorry, they _invited themselves_", I answer, hoping my sarcasm was obvious.

This just makes her even angrier, "My God, are you still mad about that? Damn, you really need to grow up Rikku!", she yells. What you don't know Haruhi is that because they decided to "invite themselves" one day my life is turned up-side-down, but I'll be damned if I let you know that.

I change my tone, "Sorry, they overpowered me", she forgives me and we all go inside.

I feel bad for Haruhi the moment we enter the place. I mean, I've seen a few transvestites ("Ranka") but damn, throw a makeup-counter of two on a guy and you've got Misuzu. I know him and Haruhi's dad both work at the transvestite bar together, so Haruhi's dad asked him to watch her for the summer. The part that scares me the most is that I actually know as much as The Stalker, I suppress a shiver. Once we're all outside my body moves on its own to the seat across from Kyoya, I know I'm not one for awkward crap but this should be slightly awkward, I find it strange how I jump to sit with the guy who just threw me into foster care a little over a month ago. But either way I just wanted to go home. Everyone's grilling Haruhi for turning down their personal travel offers.

"Hey why was—", Kaoru starts.

"—your cell-phone turned off", Hikaru finishes.

"Haruhi has a cell-phone?", Tamaki death-glares at the twins.

I'm confused, "What's so strange about that? I have one"

"Since when?", he yells.

"You know, that thing I used to call you this morning", I answered.

"She hardly ever used it", Kaoru starts.

"So we made sure all of us were on speed-dial", Hikaru finishes.

Tears start to well up in Tamaki's eyes, "So does that mean I'm #1?"

"Oh I dialed your number", I answer. So between not being on Haruhi's "Friends and Family" plan and not being on my speed dial he made an "emo-spot" on the grass near the bushes.

Honey's flowers started to dance around his head, "So what numbers are we Rikku-chan?"

"**Yeah we want to know too!"**, the twins exasperated.

"I'll admit I want to know as well", Kyoya chimed in.

I sigh, "I don't really care what numbers you all are, all that matters is that I bothered to put you all in my phone", they get bored with grilling me and go back to Haruhi.

Kyoya pulls out the school manual, "It says here that jobs are forbidden", well if you're going to Ouran why would you need one.

Haruhi stutters, "I… I didn't know that"

Tamaki recovers from his "emo-spot", "Well of course you have the freedom to spend your summer however you please", don't, "but like it or not so do we", shut up, "and I for one think Karuizawa is a lovely vacation spot", I think I just died a little inside.

We go back inside to talk to "Misuzu" and he tells us he only has one vacant bed left. Tamaki tried to take the bed for himself but Honey whined about it and the twins messed with him. Somehow the twins decided it would be "_fun_" to hold a contest to see who will win the bed and "Misuzu" is all for it. So that was the beginning of our "Refreshing Battle" a.k.a the "Making my summer a living hell" Battle. By the time it started Kyoya was already long gone. I drop the broom that mysteriously appeared in my hand and go join him. While I'm outside I see my #7 and Tamaki supposedly working on a fence.

"Are you not competing?", Kyoya asks me.

"As long as "Misuzu" keeps it up with that "oh it's such a shame I can't pay you anything", then no", I answer as I sit down across from him.

He looks intrigued, "I'm just now realizing that whenever you refer to Misuzu you say "him" and use air quotes"

"Well yeah, he's still a man. Titles like "male" and "female" can't be changed just because you dress a certain way. Like how Haruhi is no less of a girl just because she's a host, the same goes for me. We must accept that which we cannot change, and work towards changing the things we can. That's just the way it is", I notice him starring at me, "Sorry, I didn't mean to go all philosophical just now"

"No that's alright. So how are you getting along with your foster family?", he asks.

I sigh, "Since I know the underlining meaning of that is "who are your foster parents?" I'll answer that. They're names are Julia and Akira"

He looks confused, "So are they roommates or something?"

"No, they're lesbians", he just stares at me, "You don't choose who you go to, and besides I don't really care. They're people just like anyone else", I change the subject, "I just want this "Battle" to be over so I can go home"

"Well you can tell who's going to win at a glance", he states.

"How so", I ask.

"Well Honey-senpai's brand of cute doesn't exactly go over well with Misuzu, so he's out. Tamaki comes closer to the ideal, that is if he keeps his mouth shut, but we both know the chances of that, so…", I glance inside to see Hikaru and Kaoru flamboyantly leading a guest up to their rooms, "However…", I turn around to see my #6 shirtless, and chopping firewood for no apparent reason.

I think it over, "But wait, if Honey drops out then Mori will too. I can't really see him staying here without Honey anyway, so that means…", I'm interrupted by Hikaru and Kaoru.

"We're not going to lose, so you can forget about that", Hikaru states. They do have a valid point.

Kyoya pushes his glasses up, "Well there's always a way to make things more interesting"

I chime in, "Well there's always a way to move things along", the twins stare at us as we have a death-glaring contest. Let's end this.

* * *

><p>Somehow I got hustled into helping Haruhi with the laundry.<p>

I tote a heavy laundry basket, "So there's one more stop after this and we're done, right", I question.

"Yeah", she answers.

A guest comes to the window and tries to open it, but as she pushes out the whole window comes off its hinges. My eyes widen at the sight of the rapidly descending glass.

"Haruhi!", I drop the basket and give her a hard shove so she hurtles to the other side of the deck.

It's too late for me to get out of the way so I cover my neck and crouch down. I can feel several shards of glass stabbing me, some slide off my back while others stick. I waited a second to make sure all the glass had hit the ground before I go check on Haruhi.

I kneel down to her level, "Are you alright?"

Her eyes widen, "I'm fine, but just look at you"

I now have even more scars running across my back with small shards of glass sticking out of them, "Oh this? It's just a scratch", I smile.

Kaoru, my #4, comes running over to me with genuine concern. Hikaru, my #5, does the same but I can't tell if he's being genuine or if he's acting.

"Misuzu" shouts twirling on the roof, "Ahhh! Sacrificing yourself to protect your friend from harm, that's 100 refresher points!", I die a little more inside.

My #2 stops playing the piano.

"Well it looks like you won, so congratulations", Hikaru says putting his arm around his twin. Oh somebody's going to die—on the outside.

"What the hell? I made that plan for you two!", I exasperate.

"Well we thought—", Hikaru starts.

"—that you deserved to win more than we did. Your plan was perfect…", Hikaru jumps in, "**But we tweaked it a little**"

* * *

><p>*Kyoya POV*<p>

Rikku went up to her room and I decided to have a discussion with Hikaru. I catch him around the back and pin him to the wall by his shirt.

"Just what the hell were you thinking? You know if she didn't act fast she could have died", I state.

He poses a weak argument, "That's why we chose her, anyone else would have been too slow", I shake him.

"That's no excuse! And don't even bring Kaoru into this, I know it was you! So if you ever pull a stunt like that ever again I swear I'll—"

"Drop him"

* * *

><p>*Rikku POV*<p>

"Drop him", I say to Kyoya.

"Give me one reason why I should?", he growls.

"Because you can beat him up as much as you want, but that's not going to change him. Hikaru is Hikaru, jack-ass and all", I declare.

"Hey I resent that", Hikaru cries.

Kyoya and I yell in unison, "**You're in no position to!**"

With all Kyoya does I know he's really looking out for me. That's why he's my #1.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just to let you know I am a Christian and do not support gay marriage and/or gay rights. I apologize for any confusion, I just had writers block and knew I had to finish this chapter **


	10. My Reluctant Day Out

On my last day of summer vacation I just want to lie in my bed, even if it is my birthday. I've already told Akira and Julia that singing "Happy Birthday" and giving me a cupcake would be good enough for today, and even that's pushing it. After being torn away from my brother I have virtually no desire to celebrate anything—especially not my birthday. Today wasn't a good day for the Host Club either, all they've done is monopolize all my free-time and turn my life up-side-down, so I at least deserve _one _host-free day. I hear my door open, it's Julia.

"Rikku, one of your friends is here to see you, it's one of those boys so you probably should get dressed", Julia informs me.

I groggily get out of bed and try to find something in my closet that's "host-appropriate", but here's an overview of my closet: it's black. Since I really don't care I go with a sundress. I make my way over to the door—it's Tamaki.

"What do you want?" I monotone.

"Well in honor of, what I hear is a special day for you, it would be my pleasure if you would accompany me on a date." he finishes his long-winded statement.

"Who put you up to this?"

He looks genuinely offended, "Why Rikku, it is my duty as a member of the Ouran Host Club to make every woman happy, and since you, in fact, are a woman it is my job to make you happy as well."

I can't deal with this right now, "Well I'm not exactly sad at the moment, but I'll call you if anything changes, so bye." I slam the door but it gets caught on his foot that he stuck through the door ant the last second. Why would you do that when you're wearing sandals?

I open the door again to see he's favoring his other foot and staring at me with his puppy-dog eyes, "Fine, I'll go, but don't look at me like that." he smiles in victory.

I make him take me to Starbucks, I'll need caffeine if I want to get through the rest of this "date", so I supersize my order. But by the time I have mine in hand he's still at the counter trying to choose, he suggests sampling all of them and I try to imagine a Tamaki high off caffeine…

I quickly push him aside, "He'll just have an iced tea."

Once we both have our drinks we look for a table inside and have a seat. I turn down his date site suggestions while taking small sips of my black coffee, but he just keeps going. He sees me doze off.

"Rikku are you listening?" he asks, annoyed.

"No, I'm not", I answer bluntly. I sigh, "Look, why are you even doing this? But forgive me if I'm skeptical about a guy who knows next to nothing about me just up and decides to take me on a date on a day he didn't even know was my birthday. But of course you always have Kyoya for that now don't you?" his silence was confirmation enough.

"Well then tell me about you" he suggests after a few minutes of silence, "I remember Kyoya telling me you and Haruhi met in middle school."

I might as well, "I moved here during my second year of middle school **(A/N: eighth grade)**.

* * *

><p><strong>*Flashback* Rikku POV<strong>

I finish adjusting my "sailor suit" uniform and head out the door. When I arrived at school two student council members were there to greet me, one introduced himself as Soma Ari, vice president, and Haruhi Fujioka, madam president.. By lunch she's manages to say two words to me, the rest of the time her nose was buried in a book. However with her being the only person I "know" I decide to eat lunch with her in the class room.

"Hey Haruhi, why _are _you class president anyway?" I ask her, "You hardly seem interested in the position"

"Well I couldn't care less about what I do, but it does look good on a highschool application", she explains, "I don't do anything if it won't look good on my application", she says while flipping the pages of her book.

She doesn't say another word to me all day, and pretty much the whole year. Graduation season came around for the third-years and thus highschool applications lined every inch of the bulletin board. I quickly grew bored of middleschool and decided to take the placement exam. After I passed they said I was free to start my first year of highschool, so I grazed over my options. All of which bored me. Then I overheard some students taking about how Haruhi applied for the Ouran Academy scholarship, well if she can do it so can I.

One day I came home and went through the mail, like always. Jury duty, for Ryuu, repossession notices', for Ryuu, everything had Ryuu's name on it.

"Damn-it", I say, throwing the mail on the table, "That letter should have been here by now—", I stop noticing a lavender envelope peeking out from under the white ones. I pick it up and see it has a wax seal with a cursive _O _on it. I got in

***End Flashback***

* * *

><p>"Wait, then why didn't Haruhi recognize you when Kyoya brought you to the club room for the first time?" Tamaki asks.<p>

I sigh, "I got a new haircut, so she forgot about me"

"Boss, Rikku, is that you?" a familiar voice calls out, "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey Hikaru, where's Kouru?"

"Getting us some cappuccino's", he says taking a seat next to Tamiki.

"Why are you guys even _here? _You're supposed to be at the products expo at the mall _far, far away_", says Tamaki.

Kouru shows up with their drinks, "One white-chocolate mocha for you, and one black coffee for me"

I raise an eyebrow, "_You _drink black coffee?" I question him.

"Hell yeah, I can't stand sweet crap", he answers.

"Same here. It's almost how people say you can't like Skillet and Avril Levine at the same time"

"Well duh, they're both my fave's", he answers.

"_Anyway_", Tamaki says redirecting the conversation, "You never told us why you joined the Host Club"

"Oh yeah, I "forgot". So it was my first day, by the time woke up it was already pouring down raining.

* * *

><p><strong>*Flashback*<strong>

Try riding a skateboard with a ten pound messenger-bag in the pouring rain. Not easy. By the time I got to upstate Tokyo it was coming down so hard I could barely see, but the school was hard to miss. I speed up while crossing the street, but just as I'm crossing the parking lot a limo pulled up flipping me in the air and landing on the hood.

A black-haired guy in the guy's uniform got out of the car, "I believe you put a dent in my car"

"And you put a fracture in my spine!" I hiss at the pain, but hey, I've been through worse.

"Also, when the car stopped my glasses broke, so that's also your fault"

"Look, you go to Ouran, so you've got to be rich. You can take care of it yourself", I turn to walk away and notice all my work scattered and is now being pelted by rain.

I scatter trying to salvage them.

The guy bends down and helps me, "Here let me help you with that", he grabs my charcoal and looks at it.

I snatch it from him, "That's kind of personal"

He "smiles", "My apologies, Mr. Suzuki", I stare at him in disbelief.

"How do you know my name? Anyway look, I'm sorry about your glasses. But I'm pretty sure I don't have the money to reimburse you", I explain.

He "smiles" again, "No, but there is something you can do for me"

***End Flashback***

* * *

><p><strong>- With the Twins—<strong>

"Just what the hell was that?" questions Hikaru, "You were all over her, _Oh those are my fave's too_", says Hikaru.

Kouru folds his arms, "I don't know what you're talking about", says Kouru, "I was just making conversation"

Hikaru scoffs, "You haven't listened to rock music a day in your life"

"Well it's not any different than you being all over Haruhi", says Kouru, "_Oh I can buy you lot's of Otooro_"

"Don't change the subject!" shouts Hikaru, "You're in love with Rikku, aren't you?"

Kouru turns red, "I neither confirm nor deny that statement"


	11. Frienimies

With school starting up again things were more hectic than ever. Between Haruhi, the twins, and I starting our second year and Hani and Mori's graduation the Host Club's been busy also. So one day Haruhi and I decided to meet up to go shopping together. Since Akira threw out all my clothes and bought me new ones, today I'm in cargo-shorts with tights and combat-boots, an oxford shirt, and an burgundy pull-over sweater. Once I arrive at Haruhi's she comes to greet me. But just then a limonene pulls up and two girls drag us into the car.

"Dude, who the hell are they?" I question Haruhi.

She hesitates, "Oh no one", I raise an eyebrow, "Alright, they call themselves the Zuka Club and they tried to make me join them", she explains.

_This… is why I shouldn't miss school, _"Really? I'm gone for _one _day and this is what happens?"

I would have thought someone would notice that we're gone by the time we get to the "Ouran wanna-be" of a school. But alas—no one does. They blindfold us and take us upstairs to a room where they release us.

"Were the blindfolds really necessary?" I question them.

"You have five minutes to change into your uniforms. We'll be back soon", says the tall one. _Well that isn't ominous. _

I reach for the uniform only to be pulled back… bitches handcuffed us together. Well this is fucking great—I can't stand being in a two-_mile _radius to Haruhi, now I have to be within a two-_inch _radius of her. That's when I remember they didn't search us, so I reach into one of my pockets and pull out my automatics. I reach in my other pocket for the ammo when Haruhi screams.

"Damn Rikku, what the hell is that?"

"What does it look like?" she stares at me in disbelief, "I know a guy, alright. Now hold perfectly still…" I instruct her.

I carefully aim at the chains binding us together—this would be easier if she'd stop moving. I fire, seconds later I hear a piercing scream… damn-it, I shot Haruhi.

I rip her sleeve to make a tunicate—I then tie it tight around her wound. "This is all your fault Rikku!" she shouts.

"Last I checked I told you to keep still", I say tightening the tunicate, "You can't blame me for everything you know"

"Well that's because everything bad that happens to me is your fault!"

"Really?" I say, "Remember when you scored third in class instead of first? You blew-up at me because I got ranked first. But who tutored you for two straight weeks to help you pass the re-take? Or that one time you needed to learn how to dance? Who put all her work aside and drilled you on dancing until you got it right?" I double up the bandage, "But apparently… that doesn't mean a thing to you. Yet now I realize, out of all the times I'm there for you, you're never there for me when I need you. And you know what else? I study 24/7, but I purposefully miss a question so you can stay at the top of the class. But apparently, that doesn't matter to you either"

She stares at me in disbelief, "Rikku, I had no idea—"

"You never do, Haruhi. But I'm done covering your ass. So from now on… you're on your own", I grab my uniform and stat changing.

* * *

><p>I leave the dressing room to find the Zuka Club waiting for me, "So do you guys want something?"<p>

"We need replacements for the main character and the pianist"

I sigh, "I've got a piano?" they pointed over to the keyboard.

I adjust it to the right settings and start playing and singing the lyrics to "Who Knew?" by P!NK.

You took my hand  
>You showed me how<br>You promised me you'd be around  
>Uh huh<br>That's right  
>I took your words<br>And I believed  
>In everything<br>You said to me  
>Yeah huh<br>That's right

If someone said three years from now  
>You'd be long gone<br>I'd stand up and punch them out  
>Cause they're all wrong<br>I know better  
>Cause you said forever<br>And ever  
>Who knew<p>

Remember when we were such fools  
>And so convinced and just too cool<br>Oh no  
>No no<br>I wish I could touch you again  
>I wish I could still call you friend<br>I'd give anything

When someone said count your blessings now  
>'fore they're long gone<br>I guess I just didn't know how  
>I was all wrong<br>They knew better  
>Still you said forever<br>And ever  
>Who knew<p>

Yeah yeah  
>I'll keep you locked in my head<br>Until we meet again  
>Until we<br>Until we meet again  
>And I won't forget you my friend<br>What happened

If someone said three years from now  
>You'd be long gone<br>I'd stand up and punch them out  
>Cause they're all wrong and<br>That last kiss  
>I'll cherish<br>Until we meet again  
>And time makes<br>It harder  
>I wish I could remember<br>But I keep  
>Your memory<br>You visit me in my sleep  
>My darling<br>Who knew  
>My darling<br>My darling  
>Who knew<br>My darling  
>I miss you<br>My darling  
>Who knew<br>Who knew

I then play "Closer" by Inrou Joe.

All that is near us  
>We must know<br>Could disappear any day  
>Be careful<br>The main key to finding happiness  
>Lies nowhere else but in my soul<p>

You could reminisce; you could recall  
>The very last time you felt joy<br>Or maybe you are so blessed to a point  
>Where you can't remember anything<br>It's a harmony, a miracle  
>Being able to breathe and live at all<br>So here is your one and only chance  
>Life is an opportunity<p>

All that is near us  
>We must know<br>Could disappear any day  
>Be careful<br>The main key to finding happiness  
>Lies nowhere else but in my soul<br>You know the closer you get to something  
>The tougher it is to see it<br>And I'll never take it for granted  
>Let's go<p>

Some people may call a kind deed  
>An act of mere hypocrisy<br>But never mind those who have lost faith  
>You shouldn't give in to what they say<br>As a matter of fact, let me tell you  
>Even if it was for a selfish cause<br>A salvageable hypocrisy  
>Is superior to murderous honesty<p>

Everybody tells you from time to time  
>To never give up like a phrase from a movie<br>They tell you to stand up for yourself  
>As if was always that easy<br>Gather a handful of courage in my heart  
>To go on and survive another day<br>And I'll never take it for granted  
>Let's go<p>

(speak)  
>Misc. Person: Everybody make way for the King!<br>Misc. Person: This way, sir.  
>King: So you are the young boy who saved the world.<br>Joe: Yes, your Highness.  
>King: You will be rewarded for your bravery. What is it that you want? Gold? Silver?<br>Joe: No, your Highness.  
>King: Is it land?<br>Joe: No, sir.  
>King: Well, what is it then?<br>Joe: I don't seek any more, for I have already acquired a gift in my heart.

All that is near us  
>We must know<br>Could disappear any day  
>Be careful<br>The main key to finding happiness  
>Lies nowhere else but in my soul<br>You know the closer you get to something  
>The tougher it is to see it<br>And I'll never take it for granted

Everybody tells you from time to time  
>To never give up like a phrase from a movie<br>They tell you to stand up for yourself  
>As if was always that easy<br>Gather a handful of courage in my heart  
>To go on and survive another day<br>And I'll never take it for granted  
>Let's go<p>

By the time I was done everyone was in tears, even Haruhi. I just wanted to go home, so I might as well get this over with.

* * *

><p>Later that evening I helped Haruhi into her costume, "You don't have to do that, Rikku"<p>

"I know… I want to", I answer her.

"Rikku… I'm sorry I've been taking you for granted all this time", I zip her up, "All this time I've been unfair to you… yet you always stuck by me"

"Well duh, that's what frinemies are for. They can be bitching at each other one minute… and be inseparable the next. It's what I do", I explain to her.

I put my suit on and Haruhi ties my tie for me. Guess everything's back to normal.

"Come on— let's get this shit over with"

Opening act—I start out playing the opening beat of "Determinate" by Lemonade Mouth—Haruhi sings most of the lyrics while I jump in once every few words. The crowd is going wild and Benio hasn't even taken the stage yet, damn we're good. I keep playing while I scan over the audience… hold on is that… the Host Club? Minus Kyoya, he must have something planed. And Haruhi's dad. Before I know it a screen comes down with a image of Haruhi's first "kiss", while Benio is distracted Tamaki catches Haruhi and runs across the stage.

Kaoru dashes towards me, "Come on, Rikku", he says holding out his hand.

I put the keyboard on refrain mode and make a run for it. I take Kaoru's hand and dash off the stage, but I hurt my ankle while jumping. Instantly, I go from the ground to Kaoru's arms. _I never realized how strong he is, I guess he is manlier than his brother. _


	12. Till the day it becomes a Pumpkin

It's the last block of the day and all of class 1-A is excited about Halloween. Our class is supposed to be putting on a _Test of Courage Tournament_ after dark—not that I'm complaining—it would be nice to scare the shit out of these rich bastards. However, while the rest of the class is deciding what costumes to get, I'm talking to the superintendent, ordering the decorations, deciding where on the map the teams should be… but what do I look like, a secretary? I already knew three other people who'd be on my team, but that's only four, we need five. I head outside to organize the teams, Team A is done, Team B is done and so is team C, all that's left is Team D.

"Okay guys, so for Team D there's myself, Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru. But we need a fifth member." I say to the rest of my "team".

"Oh no problem," says Hikaru. "Class rep will be our fifth member."

I glance over at the class rep, "Fine" I say marking him down.

The A Team comes out of the classroom, "Oh no, both Hitachiin's are on one team? You guys better not try any underhanded tricks."

"Oh we would never do anything like that," says Kaoru. "But we always have an ace up our sleeve."

Both twins lock me in a one-arm hug, "**Say hello to our ace**" they say. "**Ouran Academy's resident emo: Rikku Suzuki!**"

_Here we go again. _"Would you two quit calling me that? That snot-nosed brat says it once and now it's the word of the day! What is this Sesame Street?" **{A/N: I do not own Sesame Street}**

"Come on, don't be so modest," says Hikaru. "If anyone knows how to scare the shit out of people it's you. The way you dress makes _everyday _feel like Halloween!" This makes Kaoru deadpan.

"And just what's wrong with the way I dress?" I say subconsciously looking at my current ensemble. I've customized the blazer, pinning down parts of it with safety-pins, underneath I wear a red t-shirt and tie the tie around my neck. _Is there something wrong with the way I dress?_ I shake it off, "Anyway, the superintendent said yes, the Halloween decorations are on their way, and I've mapped out each team's location's in the school. And if we don't want Tamaki on our case we'd better get to the club now."

* * *

><p>When we open the doors, there's a graveyard and several deferent monsters waiting for us. Unbeknownst to most I actually planned everything for this one, Kyoya just took all the credit. So between this, the <em>Test of Courage Tournament<em>, and physically setting up for it—I'm burnt _out_. Kyoya and Tamaki were dressed as vampires, Takashi was dressed as Franken Stine, and Misukani was dressed as… a fluffy pink bunny.

"So… whose costume is the scariest?" Tamaki asks me.

I sigh, "Well to be honest… Honey's is just terrifying." I say. He gives me a look of disbelief, "Well just what did you expect from _Ouran's resident emo!" _I say directing that last part to the twins. I make a show of checking my watch, "Well anyway, it's getting late and we still have to set up for class 1-A's _Test of Courage Tournament_, so bye."

"Wait!" says Tamaki. "Why are you and Haruhi going?"

"Well we are in class 1-A, and I've got nothing else better to do." I answer.

* * *

><p><strong>[Later that night]<strong>

* * *

><p>Everyone was in their positions and ready to commence operation: scare the crap out of each other. I, along with the rest of Team D, sat at the end of the staircase dangling a block of—what I think is—tofu from a string. I tug at the string, "Hey not that this isn't terrifying, but don't you think we could've gotten a prank that wasn't from the supermarket?" I ask.<p>

"They were on sale." says Haruhi defensively.

"Oh no! I'd never want you to pay full-price for this crap," I say throwing it in Haruhi's face. "Alright, since we're short on time here's what I need you to do: Haruhi, go to chem. lab one and get the basin full of spiders and a large bucket. Hikaru, search all the art rooms for embroidery floss, floor polish, and a mop. Kaoru, go to the kitchen in the clubroom and grab a few large cookie sheets, flour, and lots of maple syrup."

Kaoru smiles, "Even though I have no idea where you're going with this, I'm a hundred percent sure it's diabolical." he says.

"Hell, you don't call me your ace for nothing."

* * *

><p><strong>[A few minutes later]<strong>

* * *

><p>Everyone shows up with the supplies, "Perfect. Hikaru, go up to the landing and tie the floss to the banisters at the top and bottom, make sure to double them up. Kaoru, once he's done mop the stairs with the syrup and put the cookie sheet at the top of the staircase. Haruhi, move the tub over there." I order them.<p>

"So Rikku," says the class rep. "Is there anything you need me to do?" he asks as I tie a strand of floss to the bucket.

"Yeah about that…" I say handing him the bucket. "You're not afraid of heights are you?" His ghost pops out of him but I pull it back down, "Well get over it! You're not going to ruin my plans over a little Vertigo! So here's what you've got to do: climb a latter and hang this bucket from the _very, very _edge of the chandelier. Then just fill the bucket with flour and, ta-da, your done!"

"I can't do that—"

"Well you're going to!" I yell. "Here I'll hold the latter so you don't fall, see." I hold the latter as an example. He nods and heads up the latter. And before long my vision is complete. "Perfect." I say.

Hikaru looks at my contraption skeptically, "So, just what is it supposed to, yeah know, _do_?"

"You'll see. Wait I hear someone coming!" I say. We all hide behind the stairs and wait. Soon enough someone dressed as the _Clock Tower Witch _comes down the stairs, they then trip over the floss and step onto the cookie sheet. Sliding down the stairs they try to grab a banister, to no avail since they're coated with floor polish. Once they get to the end of the stairs they trip on yet another piece of floss triggering the bucket of flour to nail them in the face as they belly-flop into a basin of spiders. _Wait those spiders aren't poisonous are they? _"Hey Haruhi, just what did the spiders look like?"

"Well they were tiny and black and had these red hourglasses on their backside, why?"

"Oh no reason," I say. "Just that those are Black Widows, the most poisonous spider known to man…" I hurry to the basin to pull the guy out of it. _Damn he's heavy! _"Let's see who's behind the mask," I say pulling the mask off of the guys head. But as soon as it comes off I instantly recognize him. _Damn-it it's Tamaki! _"Oh shit…"

Everyone runs away as fast as they can in opposite directions, I'm too shocked to even move. When I hear all of them scream I snap out of my trance to realize I'm all alone, "Haruhi? Hikaru?" No answer. Tears stream down my red-hot cheeks, "Kaoru!" I shout. I run, I have no idea where I'm going I just run. Eventually I trip over a pile of sandbags.

* * *

><p><strong>[Kaoru POV]<strong>

* * *

><p>"Kaoru!" I hear a voice scream from outside the door. Soon enough Rikku's barging in and falls into my arms.<p>

"Rikku what's wrong?" I ask her. But instead of answering me she just holds me tighter, "Rikku…"

She sobs, "I'm afraid of the dark alright!"

_Afraid of the dark? _"Since when? You always seemed so fearless…"

"Every time I'm alone in the dark I remember the times when Ryukyu locked me in the closet. Sometimes it would be days before he let me back out. I was so alone and I couldn't see…" she sobs even more. "I'm scared Kaoru!"

"But if that's the case then how could you stand being out there for that long?" I ask.

She stops shaking, "Because Kaoru was with me," she says. "And as long as Kaoru's by Rikku's side… Rikku's not afraid of anything." _She's so vulnerable… I've never seen her like this. _

"Does anyone else know?" I ask her. She shakes her head "no". _I guess there's still a lot we don't know about Rikku… _"Hey I think I hear other people coming, maybe you should wipe your face."

She vigorously rubs her face with her shirt sleeve as Hikaru storms in. We hug and Haruhi trails behind. She looks at Rikku's face, "Hey were you crying just now?"

"I wasn't crying!" she shouts. "My face just got read from running all the way here."

"Right" Haruhi says stretching out the "i".

"Anyway," I say. "We should probably go looking for the others, you know, admit defeat and all…"

* * *

><p><strong>[Rikku POV]<strong>

* * *

><p>We follow the sound of whispers and they lead us to the schools botanical garden. <em>We have a botanical garden?<em>

"We were worried sick about you guys" says Kodakono. "Just where were you?"

"You should know," I say. "You guys are the ones who sent the _Clock Tower Witch _after us."

She looks confused, "What witch?" she asks. "It wasn't our turn."

"But if it wasn't you then—"

"W-What's that?" Renge and Kodakono ask pointing at a weird cat shaped shadow.

I take a look, "Oh it's only…" I look around to see I'm all alone. "What's-his-face's puppet."

* * *

><p><strong>[The next day]<strong>

* * *

><p>"How did you guys not know that was the puppet-thing?" I ask jokingly.<p>

Hikaru laughs, "Yeah now the whole class was deemed the kings of the cowards, except Rikku of course. _She's _fearless."

I laugh nervously, "Yeah…"

"Come on guys, let's get to class" says Kaoru changing the subject.

* * *

><p><strong>[Kaoru POV]<strong>

* * *

><p>"When do you think he'll realize he's in love?" asks Rikku when the others are out of earshot.<p>

I smile, "I'm not sure." _When will I realize I'm in love?_


	13. Is this the End?

"Hey, hey, hey! That's not a sack of potatoes! Be careful with it!" I yell at some delivery men. But my God, _everyone _knows you don't treat chiffon like cotton… wait did I really just say that? I'm starting to sound like the rest of the club… But that's when they pull up in a horse-drawn carriage, ok, sorry—had a small WTF moment. "And just what is this?" I ask Tamaki.

"What does it look like?" he replies.

"Really, Tamaki?" I question him. "You could afford to feed _Africa _with all the money we're wasting… Do you even know how much we've spent so far?"

"We aren't wasting money!" Really, that's _all _you heard me say? "And I donno, ask Kyoya. Hop on!" he says, holding out his hand.

I let out a small sigh before taking his hand and climbing into the carriage, "You should lighten up Rikku. It's not that big a deal." says Haruhi.

"You may not consider it a 'big deal', yet; how could you when you're not in charge of the whole thing? Or that you're not supposed to make this whole thing go off without a bang," I say adding an eye twitch at the end. "By the way, I am _way_ too hyped off of caffeine…"

"**We can tell,**" said the twins.

"Easy for you to say," I say once we're off the carriage. "You don't have to work with _those _guys." I say gesturing over at Tamaki and Kyoya.

Once the Fair had begun the entire club were acting flamboyant as ever, trying hard to impress the parents. I, however, had to let the caffeine simmer out of my system before I interacted with any of the guests. But that's when I heard a loud slap and saw Kyoya with his face red. It was his father. I can't say I wasn't expecting this…

After the scene is over I wet my handkerchief and dab the spot Mr. Ootori had hit, "I'm sorry it happened so soon… I thought he'd at least wait till after the fair, but I guess I thought wrong."

He takes the handkerchief and ties to fake a smile, "I'm alright Rikku. No need to worry." And with that he walks off.

Tamaki was still in shock, "Was Kyoya hit… because of me? Because of the Host Club?"

I fake a smile, "Don't worry Sempai, everything's going to be alright."

*Tamaki's thoughts*

_Did Rikku just call me Sempai?_

"Hey, where did Sempai go?" I ask Kyoya.

"Who?" he questioned me. "You mean Tamaki? He's escorting Lady Éclair per orders of his grandmother. But since when do you call Tamaki 'sempai'?"

I sigh, "I had to say something to get him to relax… But just who is this Lady Éclair?"

"She's of the Tonaire family, a group who's been buying up a lot of companies in Japan lately. But that still doesn't explain why she's here for Tamaki…" he says. "But really, _Sempai_… That was the best you could come up with?"

"Well _sorry—_" was getting slapped in the face the best that you could come up with? Nah, that's too bitchy even by my standards.

Later in the day we all changed into our butler costumes, all except Tamaki… Shouldn't he be done with that Éclair Ton-Ass? But that's when he and Éclair stood at the top of the stairwell, "We have an announcement; Lady Éclair and I shall be engaged after I depart for France after the Ouran Fair. Therefore, the Host Club will be dissolved proceeding the fair. That is all.

No… no, it can't end like this… Is this the end?


	14. No, This Is

After the events of yesterday, it was hard just to go to school today, let alone work the second day of the Fair. The club and I were decked out in the butler costumes we were wearing the day before. The atmosphere was stagnant, as no one wanted to talk about the elephant in the room…

"So what are we going to do about Tamaki-sempai?" says Hikaru. Well, he's never been one to bead around the bush…

"We're going to do what we always have done, host. And this fair is going to go off without a bang, _**got it**_?" I say in a menacing tone. "But really, there's nothing we _can _do. So let's just get back to work."

Kyoya steps in, "Rikku's right, we're all responsible for the well-being of this fair. And if we allow ourselves to wallow in self-pity and neglect our work the Fair will be a disaster. So let's get back to work." Slowly but surely they all get back to work, and I think to myself, wait a minute. Did Kyoya just take some responsibility off my shoulders? But that's when he takes me by the hand and leads me away from the crowd. "Look, Rikku…" he starts.

"What is it Kyoya?"

He hesitates for a second, "Haruhi is quitting the Host Club."

I feel tears welling up inside me, yet I remain stoic, "When?" I ask.

"After the Ouran Fair." He says.

I turn away from him to wipe my eyes. I then turn back around, "Well," I say. "We can't keep our guests waiting, no can we?"

He pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, "I don't think we can."

The Club gathers in the clubroom to change into tonight's cosplay, medieval royalty. I'm wearing a black version of the guy's costumes while Haruhi wears a dress… "Might I ask why Haruhi is the only one dressed as a girl?"

"Because Mori-sempai said 'no'." says Hikaru with a snicker.

That's when Kaoru takes me by the hand and leads me to the stairwell. And that's when I think to myself, what's with the taking me by the hand stuff? But anyway, Kaoru looks at me sympathetically, "I know Haruhi's quitting the Host Club," he clasps my hands between his. "But that doesn't mean you have to as well. I know you care deeply about her, and you'd do almost anything for her. I know exactly where you're coming from. But—like I'm now learning—you can't protect them forever. And while you may be a lot like them, you're not the same. We have to go our own way."

"We?" I question.

"You see, I'm a lot like you." He says. "I feel I always have to be there to protect Hikaru. And I've always wanted to be the most important person in his life but…"

"Haruhi is." I say.

"And you are to me." He says.

I blush, "Kaoru I—"just then Kaoru pulls me into a loving embrace.

He holds me tight, "No words, just love."

That's when Kyoya comes out of nowhere and pulls me away, not even questioning why Kaoru and I were hugging. He leads me to the garage, "W-What's wrong?" I manage to ask.

"Tamaki's leaving for France." He says.

Tears pool in my eyes, "That idiot!" I exclaim. After all he's put me through, after I've made this club run smoothly, after I've fallen in love… "So he's on his way to the airport now, isn't he?"

Hikaru pulls up in the horse-drawn carriage, Kyoya squeezes my shoulders, "Get that idiot back!"

Hikaru, Haruhi, and I follow the car up until the carriage hits a boulder and Hikaru goes flying. Not that I don't care and all, but the car's getting away. So I release the horses from the carriage and hop on one of them. I extend my hand to Haruhi, "Let's go."

She pouts, "Why don't I get my own horse?"

"Do you know how to ride one?" her silence is confirmation enough and she gets on.

We're now neck and neck with the car on the bridge. Haruhi reaches out to Tamaki which loosens my grip on the horses mane. The mare veers out of control and sends Haruhi flying off the bridge, and then I pull to a stop. I leap off the bridge after her only to be elbowed by Tamaki, who eventually gets to her and softens her landing. Which is great and all, but who's going to save me? I make contact with the water and instantly start drowning. But in the mists of my sinking I feel two arms wrap around me and pull me to the surface. It wasn't till I opened my eyes that I realized I was in the arms of Kaoru.

Tamaki's here and everything's back to normal… well, our normal. The Fair ends with a ball, and I'm pretty sure Haruhi's blown her cover by dancing in a dress. But oh well. But just as I was headed to the punch bowel Mori whisks me off away from the crowd and into the hands of Kyoya. "Look," he says handing me a garment bag. "I love you." He says after I change into a bright yellow version of Haruhi's dress. "But I know who loves you more, he says pushing me in Kaoru's direction.

I land in his arms once again, and that's when I know this is no time for words. So instead I look deeply into his eyes and he looks deeply into mine, and then we kiss with the passion of a thousand sunsets.

And to think all this started with a ten million yen debt…


End file.
